BEAD SWAP SIGN UPS

Please do sign up now if you want to join the bead swap. 

I just need your name, address, email and whether you can send internationally yes?no, also will you accept seed beads yes/no. Just email these to me please.

I do hope a few more of you will sign up it should be fun. 

Jackie

THE BEAD SWAP.

Hi, I thought it would be a good idea to post some more information about the bead swap.

The Bead Swap will take place in April. I am hoping to get a few more people interested here and on Facebook before I close the sign up form on 4th April, then I will pair everyone up and send partners out 7th April. 

The value of the swap must be decided between you and your partner it will be for beads, (please see previous post ) you can send a focal bead as well of course but if you wish to send findings etc that will be up to you both to decide when you contact each other.

Hope you can join me.
Jackie

BEAD SWAP !

 BEAD SWAP.

I have decided to start an International bead swap this week here on my blog and also on Facebook, if you are interested in joining us please leave a comment on this post, here is the link to a little form to fill in and email to me.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZPGCC2X. 

You can send any beads including gem stones, glass, crystal, polymer, ceramic, just about anything. But no chipped or broken beads and only things you would be happy to use yourself that really goes without saying and no plastic or acrylic, you can send SS findings or good quality plated if you wish but do chat with your partner and find out what they like, It is nice to be stretched a bit so you may have to think out of your comfort zone. I was once sent a circle of wood for a focal it was probably the most tricky thing I had worked with at the time, not at all my usual style but I did design a necklace using it and I actually enjoyed doing it.

Here are a few pictures of things I have made in other bead swaps.

My wood circle necklace.

Other things I made.

These are just a few of the items I have made from the bead swaps I have enjoyed, I do hope you will join me in making this swap really enjoyable and fun.

~Jackie~

 

ABS CHALLENGE APRIL

Sadly I wasn't able to make anything for last months post, whaich was a shame as Marianne North is one of my all time favourite artists I have several books about her and have great admiration for all the travels she undertook later in her life, when things were not quite as easy as they are today. 

However this months inspiration is a very colourful painting by the post imressionist painter Gauguin which you can see below and here is a link to the Art Bead Scene Blog if you would like to read more about the painting and artist. 
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/april-monthly-challenge.html

I have picked out some of the rich colours to translate into a necklace the focal bead is by Jean Cristin and I added coral, green turquoise etc, the metal is copper.

I hope you enjoyed looking and I would love it if you left me a comment.

~Jackie~

BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY REVEAL!

Today is the day for revealing what we have made with the bead I received from my partner Tracy Stillman

The bead from Tracy was a beautiful green color and as soon as it arrived I knew exactly the main beads I would use for a necklace some Australian chrysoprase a great match for the focal, I have had the beads for ever and now I am so glad I kept them as I think they look really nice, I also used Tourmaline rondels and some silver beads, the dangle is Jade with a silver bead cap. I hope my partner will like the necklace and I hope I have done justice to the bead you sent me Tracy!

Here is the link for the rest of the folk and I just want to say Thank You Lori Anderson for having the courage to start up your awesome Bead Soup again, so just click on the link below scroll down the page to take a trip round some great blogs. 
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/…/welcome-to-bead-soup-blog…

~Jackie~

BEAD SOUP PARTY

I have been looking forward to this party as I have been a participant in all except one of Lori Andersons Bead Soup Blog Parties and have sent and received beads from all round the world which is so exciting, as I love meeting new people who enjoy similar cragting to myself even if only online.

For this party I was partnered with Tracy Stillman from Australia and she sent me a lovely clay bead by one of her favourite bead makers who sells under the name of Peruzi 

I love the colour of the bead Tracy sent and immediately got a great idea for using it so as I have actually made something already I am only showing you the bead itself here as the great reveal won't be till March 25th when I will link to all the other participants and you can take a look at your leisure, at all the things everyone has made.

So here is the bead.

The beads I sent to Tracy were all lampwork the focal bead/pendant was one I had been saving and I have had it a long time as I couldn't bear to part with it, I no longer remember the name of the artist who made it but she came from the US, I chose a few toning lampwork beads to go with it from Janet's Beads, she sells from rakufountains.com and I have collected her beads for years as I love them.

Here are the beads I sent to Tracy.

~Jackie~

ABS CHALLENGE FOR FEBRUARY!

The Two Crowns by Sir Frank Dicksee 1900, is the challenge piece for this month and what gorgeous colours there are in this painting! Go here to see and read more........... http://artbeadscene.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/february-monthly-challenge.html

I really love all the colours in this painting and it was difficult to choose the ones to use so I ended up making a heart bead as it was February, not sure if I will get anything else done before the end of the month so anyway here is my offering this month a rather organic polymer floral heart waiting to be strung.

~Jackie~

ABS CHALLENGE FOR JANUARY!

The rich colouring in this painting by Schiele is a mixed media study in black chalk, gouache, gold bronze paint and white body color on paper. It inspired the bronze orchid I made in Polymer the colours seemed just right I chose green, bronze and red pearls with tiny Swaorvski crystals and gold vermeil beads and clasp. 

Sadly the picture is not brilliant as the light was not good!

~Jackie~
 

ABS DECEMBER CHALLENGE!

I have not been able to blog for a quite a while nor make any of my Polymer pendants, as things at home have been moving along with my husband now on the critical list with his heart and still no appointment to get it sorted, and he is no longer able to work.

I find my time taken up where before my days were my own to order, I had a schedule I followed, now I find I have become a bit aimless and get quite frustrated, that time I would have laid aside for my clay, experimentation, Tai Chi etc no longer works in that once smooth way that it did.  These things happen in life and I did spend my usual time in the summer painting in small grabbed moments of pleasant solitude listening to music as I painted and I have been enjoying a little claying last week, till my darling daughter passed on to me a virus so here I sit at the computer hoping I can finish this before I have to go back to bed lol!

Below you will see the result of my little clay experiments. the organic oval beads I impressed quite heavily and added sparkle and mica powders. The pendant has quite a lot going on as you can see with some painting a little stamping and some engraving, it was fun to do. The Inspiration was from this gorgeous stained glass . See it on..
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/december-monthly-challenge.html

 America Windows, 1977,  By Marc Chagall

Stained glass, 96 x 385 in. (244 x 978 cm) (overall)

 

Here are the Beads

 

This is the pendant

 

I would love it if you would leave a comment.

~Jackie~

 

 

ABS CHALLENGE FOR AUGUST!

Sadly I missed last months ABS challenge as I was myself challenged by a nasty attack of bronchitis, I ask you in the summer how weird is that! I don't suffer with that sort of thing, but these things happen sometimes for no apparent reason.

I am also very busy at present as we have guests arriving on Thursday which is always exciting and we are looking forward to it.

The challenge this month was art work by Paul Klee.

  There are a lot of colours here so I picked several and got inspired!
 
I thought I would make something fun and cheerful with a sea related theme so what better than a fish, I have not made him into a necklace as yet so I will put him up on Pinterest as a bead, I added baroque freshwater pearls and there is a hole for stringing.
Here is the link to the Art Bead Scene challenge. 
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/august-monthly-challenge.html

 Would love it if you could leave a comment, thank you.
~Jackie~

BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY REVEAL!

Today is the day for revealing what we have made with the bead I received from my partner Tracy Stillman. 

The bead from Tracy was a beautiful green color and as soon as it arrived I knew exactly the main beads I would use for a necklace some Australian chrysoprase a great match for the focal, I have had the beads for ever and now I am so glad I kept them as I think they look really nice, I also used Tourmaline rondels and some silver beads, the dangle is Jade with a silver bead cap. I hope my partner will like the necklace and I hope I have done justice to the bead you sent me Tracy!

Here is the link for the rest of the folk and I just want to say Thank You Lori Anderson for having the courage to start up your awesome Bead Soup again, so just click on the link below scroll down the page to take a trip round some great blogs. 
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/…/welcome-to-bead-soup-blog…

~Jackie~

ART BEAD SCENE CHALLENGE FOR JUNE!

I very rarely make bracelets, necklaces are what I enjoy designing and making most of all but hey a change is good. So I decided to make a bracelet for this month, the picture was very inspirational I liked the colours and composition, it was from the  Century Magazine Cover for June by Louis Rhead you can see it below.


I decided to make a triple strand bracelet so chose Citrine nuggets for one of the strands. I had some really nice shaded blue tablet shaped Czech glass beads with gold flowers picked out I had bought when I made an order with a friend and had not used yet. I got out my box of hand made Ugandan paper beads out and found some with a nice smokey purple running through them and added a few silver beads this was my second strand. The third strand proved a problem and I was beginning to wish I had stuck with just two, I tried several things but I felt they were just not right, till I thought of some leather which I have in several colours I used gold to carry through. I knotted and added four of my hand made Polymer saucer beads in blue and gold and a tablet bead with an imprint of a rose on both sides. The clasp is a very pretty floral toggle. Here it is you can see it below.

 Until next time take care.
~Jackie~

ART BEAD SCENE CHALLENGE FOR MAY!

I did get to my ABS challenge a bit earlier this month thank goodness, as I had sold my Tai Chi Impression brooches at the Art Trail, I decided to make more brooches and also a few more pendants, as I really enjoy the minature painting, getting the movement into these small figures is fun!

The painting chosen this time was by Charles Sheeler and it was on a Shaker theme which is rather different, the buildings have lots of angles and shadows making interesting shapes within shapes as you can see in the picture below. If you would like to read more about the artist or the ABS Challenge here is the link - http://artbeadscene.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/may-monthly-challenge.html

I decided on a pendant and mixed a softer silvery blue clay from the left hand angle of the painting for my background, I use white to paint the figures but add in tones, ( I like doing this bit ) a branch of dark wood cherry blossom picked out some more of the colours from the painting, being spring and the cherry blossom is just about out here I thought it would be nice to add some. You can see my finished painting on the pendant below.

I am off to add paintings to some more brooches this afternoon if you are interested in any of my Tai Chi Impressions or any of my other work you can email me they are for sale!

I would love it if you could spare a moment to leave me a comment I do reply personally to all comments unless you are on google + and I am unable to do so, be assured they are very much appreciated though.

~Jackie~

AFTER THE ART TRAIL!

Now that the Art Trail is over I can look back and honestly say I will never do it again at The Space, it was not a good venue for some reason it really didn't work well a great disappointment to most if not all of us and it won't be held there next year. 

I sold a little mostly and surpriseingly my Tai Chi Impressions brooches went well and some little cards of my art paintings. So this is a very short post as there is really nothing to tell, it was an experience but next year its back to my open house or share one with a friend, are well you live and learn!

 Tai Chi Sword.

~Jackie~

THE ART TRAIL IS HAPPENING!

This year I am taking part in the 2nd Ilfracombe Art Trail, we are not doing an open house this year though. I am at The Space and I will have my daughter who is an artist and published author with me on Sunday but Saturday I will be mostly on my own, there are a number of artists exhibiting as The Space is large so plenty of room.

I am not ready at all as my work room has been having a makeover and the ceiling had to be replaced as the roof above was leaking so that got fixed first, I ended up with a large hole in the corner of the ceiling and it has been on-going for over a month now and everything has had to come out so the studio is full with stuff so no Tai Chi either...!!! The weather has been too cold and windy to train in the park so I will be so glad to see it all finished and everything back in the workroom again.

I will be taking some of the pendants I made for the Art Bead Scene challenges with me as well as some of the Impressions collection of pendants also maybe some hand dyed silk Kumihimo necklaces and some gorgeous vintage silk scarves I made along with some of my art cards of my own paintings.

 Love to get comments if you have a minute, thank you.

~Jackie~
 

 

BEAD SCENE CHALLENGE FOR APRIL ETC !

I have just squeaked in with my Bead Scene challenge this month, I was not sure whether I would be able to complete it as my work room is still being worked on, the windows and window sills are finally finished and the filling has been done the ceiling has been painted this morning and the woodwork is ready for its undercoat I think, I am not sure when I will be back in but sometime next week I think. I was so hoping it would be sooner as I have the Art Trail coming up on the 7th & 8th of May and there won't be time now to finish all the things I had planned so I will just have to go with what I have designed and made before I lost my workroom.

The Art Bead Challenge this month was a lovely bold oil painting by Helen Frankenthaler called Jacob's Ladder.

Although the colours are bold they have a softness about them so I chose to design my beads with flowers, vines and a hummingbird. 

I added embellishments of Swarovski crystals and for stringing I used beautiful freshwater white pearls, Jade beads and gold vermeil, I love designing something a bit different and so really enjoyed this. Though it almost didn't get finished in time!

So there you have it, I love to get comments so if you have time don't be shy, I really do look forward to hearing from you . Thank you.

~Jackie~

REDUNDANCY AND ALL THAT!

This is not the most cheerful post I have ever made but I shall be late with the challenge for the ABS this month. 

The reason! Things have been getting a bit challeng in my personal life, well perhaps a little more than a bit, my husband is going to be redundant soon and his health has got much worse recently, he will be going back to the cardiology unit to see if anything can be done for him at some time in the next few weeks ( we don't know when ) he is not of retirement age but old enough to be unlikely to get another job in his field.

Now we have just heard the firm my daughter works for is closing down! So she will also be out of work, quite a shock really, as you can imagine we are all wondering how we will cope as employment is scarce and moving at present is not an option.

I am trying very hard to stay positive but it is difficult and the new indoor market we are trying to utilise to help out has been a complete no go so far but maybe it will pick up, one can only hope. Sales online and at the web site are also not working, sadly at the moment.

I have no idea if it is helping to write some of this down, but if you read this far, the picture below is of a few of my miniature orchids in bloom to end on a cheerful note!

 ~Jackie~

ART BEAD SCENE CHALLENGE FOR FEBRUARY!

Well I am very late with this post my only excuse is we are very busy clearing the attic at present prior to starting on clearing the house ready to move in a couple of years, yes it will take a long time as we live in a four story big old house and it is the accumulation of over thirty years worth of art, craft and collecting with both myself and my daughter having a hand in it. So I hope I will be excused if some months I am a little late with my contributions. I am really enjoying the challenge though I think it is the only thing keeping me sane at present!

First off here is the Art Deco painting which was the inspiration this month.

I did find this one a real challenge as the colours somehow did not inspire me this time for what reason I don't know, I can work with red and blue maybe for my present mood they were just too strong, anyhoo I got my thinking cap on and came up with this pendant eventually.

The Polymer pendant has been carved with lines and the lower half of the blue has impressed dots, the circle on the blue is set with a Swarovski crystal, the gold circle on the red triangle has been sprinkled with tiny clear holeless glass beads and a trail of silver glitter the drop is a lovely Swarovski crystal. I added a chain and would have liked to hammer my own silver clasp but time was not on my side, so there you have it!  

~Jackie

JANUARY ART BEAD SCENE CHALLENGE!

Well its that time again, the Art Bead Scene Challenge. I liked how the blues and yellows in the painting made the landscape stand out.

This time I decided to use a pendant by Jean Cristin, I really like her clay work it has such a wonderfully organic feel to it, a real love of nature seems to come through and I love using her beads and pendants in my own work.

To string Jeans pendant I chose some beautiful butterscotch amber, adding pure copper beads, I used the last of my beautifully patterned sodalite rectangles separated with Karen Hill Tribe silver nuggets, I added more sodalite nuggets and finished with a silver toggle clasp. 

~Jackie~

THE CHRISTMAS ROSE.

Helleborus niger, is the Christmas Rose and I was thrilled to see ours were out this Christmas day there are lots of buds still to come as you can see from the pictures. I took the photos this morning when I went out to feed the birds and my dear little fish, although I was saddened to find a beautiful Sarrasa Comet dead one morning last week it looked as if he had died of fright as he was squashed up in a corner but there were no marks on him and he looked his usual healthy self, only dead! 

I wish everyone a healthy, peaceful and harmonious New Year.

~Jackie~