Redwood Coast Creative Arts

New giveaway from Lark Jewelry & Beading!!! Enter for a chance to win a signed advance copy of Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry

Enter for a chance to win a signed advance copy of Showcase 500 Beaded
Jewelry at http://bit.ly/NjNhT2, and please share the link so your friends
have a chance, too!

You might also  "Like" the book's Amazon page at
http://amzn.to/z6tZH2.

In case you haven't seen it already, Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry received a wonderful advance review from Publishers Weekly, the definitive trade magazine for publishers in the United States.

Here's the text of the enthusiastic review:
"Opening this gorgeous hunk of a book is like walking into a high-end
jewelry gallery. There are 500 full-color photographs of beaded jewelry --
necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins and earrings -- created by 275 artists
with beads, wire, filament, and fiber. Some of the artists are well-known to
beaders, like Carol Wilcox Wells and Diane Fitzgerald, and some
not-so-well-known, with their work published for the first time. This makes
for a heady blend of inspiration, ideas, and expression. Editor Hemachandra
selected the 500 beaded objects from submissions by 360 artists from 30
countries. To his credit, no single style -- bead weaving, bead embroidery,
bead stringing -- gets short shrift. The photography is of high professional
standards, no Instagram shots by amateurs posted to Facebook, and is also
instructively illustrative of the beadwork, offering closeup shots that will
help the aspiring bead worker reproduce some of the techniques. One quibble:
it would have been nice to include the artists¹ countries of origin just
below the photo of their work instead of in the index, saving the reader a
lot of flipping back and forth. A list of artists¹ Web sites would have been
nice, too." - Publishers Weekly

I am ready to tackle some studio time

So, I have finally finished my book, La Sombra Del Viento by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It was a really good book.  I had a hard time putting it down.  It is a dark tragedy with a plot within a plot that weave together successfully creating a suspenseful thriller.

I cleaned the house and I am ready to tackle some studio time.

I have been spending a little bit of time each day with Tim McCreight's "Jewelry-Fundamentals of Metalsmithing" . I am very inspired to bang on some sheet metal and twist some wire. I don't have a definite project in mind. I just want to get in there and make some noise, blaze up the torch, twist some wire and see where things go from there. I highly recommend this book if you want a broad overview of many metalsmithing, jewelry techniques.

Here are few other favorites that you might like.  Not listed in any particular order.

 

 

 

 

My Next Project

I am still reading the novel I started on a few weeks back, La Sombra Del Viento by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I was having a hard time focusing and finding time to just sit and read. I've been home sick with stomach flu for a couple of days which gave me a chance to pick the book back up and start at it again. It is getting to be very interesting!  I am on page 234, I have 237 to go.  I'd really rather stay home and finish reading one more day but, I am really not feeling sick anymore, I hope I am not sick anymore, and I have lots of work waiting at the office. 

I also have my next project in mind.

A Shell Fae, a la Dawn Schiller, the Odd Fae http://www.oddfae.com/. I am taking an online workshop at www.dollstreetdreamers.com/. Aren't they cute? 

I promise to take pic's and post as soon as I am done. I have conditioned my clay, purchased and washed my shells, well two of them anyway. One has sea creature parts still in it and it smells really bad. In tried boiling it and baking it. I think that I will have to put it out side to dry out in the sun. Does anyone out there know how to get critter parts out of sea shells?

La sombra del viento

I have decided to read a book and clean up the clutter before even thinking about another project.

What book?  There are so many to choose from.  The book I have chosen is The Shadow of the Wind, a novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.  I started reading it in September while on vacation.  I thought I'd have so much time to lounge about in the English countryside and read a novel, HA, fat chance!!!  I got through 8 chapters and 60 pages and haven't touched it since. 

It has been way too long since I have allowed myself the luxury of time to just read a book.  I read magazine and news articles daily but a novel requires a bit more commitment of time.  I am looking forward to it.  Here is a bit about the book I have chosen (pilfered from Wikipedia).

The novel, set in post- Spanish Civil War Barcelona, concerns a young boy, Daniel. Just after the war, Daniel's father takes him to the secret Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a huge library of old, forgotten titles lovingly preserved by a select few initiates. According to tradition, everyone initiated to this secret place is allowed to take one book from it, and must protect it for life. Daniel selects a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. That night he takes the book home and reads it, completely engrossed. Daniel then attempts to look for other books by this unknown author, but can find none. All he comes across are stories of a strange man - calling himself Laín Coubert, after a character in the book who happens to be the Devil - who has been seeking out Carax's books for decades, buying them all and burning them. 

I am also determined to clear out the clutter.  Here is a peak at some of it.  I can't show you all of it because I don't want you to sic Niecy Nash and the Clean House Crew on me, 'cuz my studio is "HOT MESS"!

My desk, URGH!!!!

My work bench, pathetic!!!!  Please don't tell on me!

Playing with the position of the posies

The flowers are pinned in place.  I haven't stitched yet because I am still playing with the final positions they will take. 

I also need to add the trim around the edges.  I lucked out and already had this trim on hand.  It matches very well don't-cha think? 

Here is the trim waiting to be added on.

 
The final touch will be a few matching beads scattered about for a bit of dew on the petals to bring them to life. 

I sure do hope the soon to be wedded couple likes what I've made for them.  I want this to be a treasured heirloom.

Here is my pinned on placement.  What do you think?  Do I need more greens?

Pillow WIP- Stitched, stuffed and ready to decorate

Stitched, stuffed and ready to decorate with ribbon flowers and leaves.

Ring Bearer pillow for Jorge and Kimmie

I don't think that I have been this excited of a wedding in years, maybe decades! 

My brother-in-law Jorge will be marrying the perfect girl this coming Sunday.  I have been honored by them allowing me to make the pillow that their rings will be tied to before they say their vows and slip them on their fingers with all of the promises and passion of of a young couple in love. 

Each stitch in this pillow is made with all of my love and hope of happiness for Jorge and Kimmie.

Come back later I will post more pictures along the way.

Ring Bearer Pillow WIP

Embroidered ivory lace

Sewn together ready to be stuffed and decorated.

Flower Petals and Foliage

What I am working on.  Ring Bearer Pillow WIP

I found some very beautiful vintage ribbon at:
Katrina's Old World Charm
701 Sutter St, Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 357-5176

I combined the vintage ribbons with some of the newer stuff I already had on hand.  The vintage ribbons are so much nicer to work with and look way better too.  Now to add some beads, embroidery, lace, and trim and we will be ready for the wedding on Sunday!

Some of my favorite Ribbon Books

This one is not ribbon-work but it is my favorite fabric artistry book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fabric art or nature art.