Beaded necklace

Marcia Kmack of Cave Creek Glassworks gave away some of her lampwork beads as presents. I made a Dutch Spiral necklace and attached her lovely bead to it.

Fabric ATCs

Here are two fabric ATCs I made for a red, black and white trade. The center incorporates threads.

Beaded bracelet

Several of the Beadniks recently attended a Cynthia Rutledge workshop featuring a pattern entitled "Tibetan bangle". This is the fruit of the labor which took 6 days to complete. Nine little squares of brick stitch hide a faceted amethyst inside. Cynthia is an awesome instructor.

Altered Tins

A few of us recently attended an "Alter Your Reality" workshop. I created two pieces using rusted Altoids tins. One is a Mona Lisa theme and the other is a buddha theme. What fun!

Beady People

These beady people feature foil cabochons as the body. Each has a double sided face with arms and legs of beads. Perfect for hanging on the bead bag or key chain!

Beaded bracelet

The checkerboard bracelet uses tiny size 15 seed beads and 1/2 cm bugle beads on this black and white bracelet. It closes with a beaded loop and vintage button. Checkers, anyone?

Book art

An accordion book to "house" Artist Trading Cards.

Beaded bracelet

I am hopelessly tangled in the beads these days. I was playing one day and decided to "roll" a flat piece of Ndebele stitch and insert some lovely pearls into it. The piece is embellished with Swarovski crystals for a bit of bling. I like the bangle look of this creation on the wrist.

Step by Step Beads Magazine Publication

Here are my two creations being featured in Step by Step Beads Magazine, November/December 2007 issue. I will have 3 additional designs featured in the magazine in the months to come.

Stained glass

This is a half moon window in the dining room of our house in California. It is 48" in diameter and 24" at the radius. We loved this window but the buyers of the house insisted that it stay (along with two others) for the sale of the house to be final...it stayed!

Book art

My sister in law recently visited from HI and we took a class together. This was a book project and we choose the same paper. The signatures are laced together with waxed linen. The book is then inserted into the case.

Beaded bracelet

Ndebele is my favorite bead stitch and this is yet another bracelet using the versatile technique. It's always good to find a use for those bugle beads!

Soft sculpture

Angel Baby is a mini bead embroidered doll with a heart, magic wand and wings. Her face is made of Sculpey. She measures 2-1/2 x 3-1/2".

Stained glass

Here is a progression of Don's stained glass project. These windows measure 13x30" and comprise of 240 pieces of glass each. This is a 2 in a series of 5 windows which will be housed in our Great Room when completed.

Artist Trading Cards

As I continue my Yahoo group study of Bernie Berlin's ATC Technique book, I happily played with aluminum foil tape. Look out home improvement stores!

Beaded bracelet

Floral Wristlet uses pearls, leaves, flowers and Fire polish beads for an welcome Autumn feel. I even used a daisy button to complete the theme.

Beaded jewelry

This Zulu Multistring necklace uses bead netting and strung beads for a lovely creation.

Beaded Sculpture

Mona's Makeover - I decided that Mona Lisa was long overdue for a makeover. She has size 15 seed bead corkscrew hair. I made felt clothes and then bead embroidered the fabric with size 11 seed beads. Her fishnet stockings are made from netted fabric. Her feet were cut down so that they are smaller. She wears black beaded boots with heels. Her belt is made of ultra suede and her belt buckle is a small handmade wire butterfly. She's a bit of a harlot! She measures 3".

Beaded Bottle

This beaded bottle is done in even count Peyote stitch. The top of the bottle is embellished with flower and crystal beads. The fringe has assorted sized seed beads, squares and Firepolish.

Collage

A spread from an altered book. On the right side is a skull with fabric cowboy shirt. The entire piece sits in a clear pocket and is removable. A silver concho buckle decorates the pocket. On the reverse side is a cut out of a Native American mask. The mask flaps open to reveal additional masks.

Soft Sculpture

These art dolls were made for a surprise swap. The bodies are made of green felt and the faces are cast glass. Each doll has a beaded heart and the initial of the recipient. Fibers adorn the neck of each doll. They measure 1=1/2" x 4-1/2".

Book Arts

A handmade journal done for a swap. The journal is hardbound with a cover of crinkled paper painted with Lumiere. The face is made of UTEE and the body is also crinkled paper. Angelina fibers are incorporated into the cover paper and leaves adorn the head. Assorted beads hang from the waxed linen threads.

Collage

This is a spread from an altered book. I choose the ocean as my theme . The background is done with blue acrylic paints and stamped with text. I added a pearlized finish to the paint. The mermaid's tail is done with aluminum foil tape. Scales were made with a stylus and highlighted with black paint. Cheesecloth with shells and sequins cover the mermaid. I used a real hook & eye on her bra top. Fiber mimics the sealife and texture gel represents the sand on the bottom of the ocean.

Beaded Sculpture

I recently ran across this unfinished project. Since it was long overdue, I decided to complete it. It is called Inca Man and measures 4x4-1/2". For a close up view of this or anything in this blog, click on the individual photo.

Zettiology

Mixed Media artist, Teesha Moore is fond of Zettiology; a wacky type of expression using brilliant colors & off beat subjects. The subject of these Artists Trading Cards are Sun Zettis.

Paper Sculpture

This African inspired 3D mask is done with the papier mache technique. The mask features are based on the Songye tribe. The actual form is an Alhambra water bottle which has been cut and rebuilt. I wanted a burnished look and used watered down acrylic paints to achieve a wooden look. It stands 12 x 18 x 7".

Beaded Art

This is a miniature version of the African Ndebele tribe wedding apron. The apron is done in size 11 seed beads using the Ndebele aka Herringbone stitch.

Mixed Media Sculpture

This sculpture is entitled "Contemplation" and measures 8-1/2 x 17". The body is made of carved styrofoam (a big mess to carve!) The head is made of Sculpey and took all day to carve. I added turquoise earrings and necklace. The necklace includes small bits of coral. She is mounted on a wood pedestal.

Metal jewelry

This copper bracelet is hot off the press. I just finished my jewelry making class in metals and sawed, handstamped, sanded, soldered and shaped this piece. The fused glass is my own creation. What fun!

Mixed Media Sculpture

These mini works are African inspired sculptures known as "The Tribe". These are 3 in a grouping of over 150 works. Each head is inidividually sculpted with Sculpey clay. The bodies were done in papier mache, painted and then embellished with cloth, fur, nails, mirror and feathers. The nails represent power and the mirror reflects the bad spirits from entering the soul. Each sculpture stands between 3-5". The entire

Beaded bracelet

This bracelet is one of my favorites. It is done in 3-bead netting with a Murano bead as the focal point. Little tendrils of seed beads with turquiose and coral spring out from the bracelet. The bracelet closes with a huge snap.

Mini Me

For those who have never met her, this is Mini Me. She is a (much) smaller version of myself. She makes me smile. Her sweater is done in Ndebele and brick stitch. Her legs are bead embroidered as well as her little high heals. She measures 3" high and welcomes you with open arms.

Altered photos

I removed some of the color and altered these photos with gel pens and acrylic paint.

Collage

An Artist Trading Card (ATC) I recently made.

Stained Glass

Don just finished one in a series of 5 windows. It measures 15"H
x 29"L.

Beaded jewelry

"Wide Ndebele Cuff" features a bracelet done in Ndebele stitch using size 8 seed beads and size 4 squares. The focal bead is by Marcia Kmack, Cave Creek Glassworks. The focal sits in a ladder stitch "netting" to prevent the bead from rolling. The toggle closure is done in peyote stitch.

Beaded jewelry

"Under the Sea" uses the Russian Spiral technique for the necklace. The focal lampwork bead is made by Marcia Kmack, Cave Creek Glassworks. Tiny tendrils expel themselves from each side of the focal bead.

Beaded jewelry

This is called "Lacey Herringbone" based on a pattern published in a bead calendar. It is done in Ndebele (aka herringbone) stitch. I changed the suggested closure to something that appealed to me.

Beaded jewelry

This bracelet is called Peaks & Valleys and is done in peyote stitch. The bracelet "grows" and "shrinks" based on the size seed bead used. I think I went a bit nuts with this pattern!

Wood Carving- Minkisi (fetish)

Minkisi is a term used by the BaKongo people of Central Africa; the closest western term is "fetish" but that is a very incomplete translation. Minkisi can have powers; "they can destroy or benefit people; they are made of earth, ashes, leaves, and relics of the dead; they receive their powers by composition, conjuring and consecration".This carving is 15" tall and is Don's interpretation of some priceless pieces that we've seen in museums. For the BaKongo people, one would do the carving and only certain special individuals (the owners/operators of the minkisi) were able to place items in/on the carving itself. This minkisi has fiber, metal, quills, bird and cats bones, feathers, etc.; for the BaCongo, many of the colors, items and placements had a specific meaning but none of it could be realized if the minkisi did not also contain "medicines" (please see next post).

Wood Carving- African Fetish

We've always appreciated African art. A Smithsonian exhibit inspired Don to do his own figurine besed on the Congo artifacts of the late 1800's. These were said to possess great power when infused with "medicines" by the Nganga (expert owner/operator), often in the belly as this one. The "medicines" were for leadership, interpretation, guidance, seeing, etc. and were used to protect and punish both in this world and the world of the "afterlife". This was carved from a fence post from our home in California. It is approx. 16" tall and contains medicines in the form of teeth, hair, food, money, something from the dead and living, etc. The mirror reflects evil and the nails would have been inserted over time to accomplish a specific task...often aimed at a specific person. We give thanks to those who left nails and screws along the railroad tracks of Northern California and Nevada. Every minkisi is unique...never finished.

Spinecheek Anemone Fish

This fish is of the "nemo" variety...commonly called a "clown" fish (there are many varieties). It is unusual in that it lives it's entire life in and around a "host" anemone that is a lower level animal that has deadly (to other fish) stinging tenticles. The anemone in this picture is of the "bubble" type, The picture was taken in the Bismark Sea off the north coast of Papua New Guinea.

Soft Coral

This picture was taken at night off the East coast of Malaysian Borneo. This is an example of typical soft coral in "bloom". It appears to be a plant but it is, in fact, an animal...or more correctly, a colony of animals.

Collage

Some Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) I made recently. They must measure 2-1/2 x 3-1/2".

Bead Art

Say hello to Ulo. Ulo is a commissioned piece done for an owl collector.
The body is made of felt and done in size 11 seed bead and Delicas for the beak. Ulo has leather feathers on its belly and is nested in down feathers mounted on a piece of wood. Ulo also has yellow crystal eyes. The owl measures 2 x 4-1/2". Ulo is stabilized in the piece by removable wire attached to the wood back.