Few and Far Between

It does take me time to feel that what I'm thinking or doing is worthy of a blog post.  I work on my art nearly every day and almost always post photos of my work on Flickr (where you can really zoom in and see the detail) and Facebook.  So why blog too?  My blog is followed by you (I mean you're here aren't you?) and you deserve an occasional update :-)

I still love my Mandala Beads...generally I work and work on a technique until I feel that I just can't go any further with it. It's right about then that your muse decides to show you something.  Low and behold, I accidentally "crackled" some beads and the result is very cool.  Guess there is more experimenting to be had...

My first "Mandala Beads and More" weekend workshop was back in January with some wonderful peeps right here in Albuquerque (Annie, Cynde and the gals).  Tomorrow, I'm headed to Lenexa, Kansas to spend time with Kim, Donna and their group.  I'm sure it will be fabulous!

Anyhow, this workshop in Kansas is coming at a great time.  I've had a few health issues to deal with since the beginning of the year and things are beginning to get back to normal.  Can't wait to get out of town and active in the community again.  

If you'd like to learn my technique for creating "Mandala" crackle beads, drop me a line.  I'd love to come to your city too.

BOO! Scared ya, didn't I?

Two whole blog posts in one month...what a treat!  Or a trick??  Pretty clever how I worked Halloween into this post isn't it!

Just want to show you a couple more of these textured beads.  Although I'm spiritual and not really religious, I've always loved images of crosses and churches.  Here in New Mexico, there is much religious art and culture, especially during the holidays...and I can't help but be influenced by it.  Also, instead of adding alcohol inks for color, I'm going the acrylic paint route.  These have just a bit of turquoise paint mixed in with the burnt umber, so it's going a bit green.  I like the color though.

I've been on a pretty long kick with texure, since I started "Texture Doodling" and made my CraftEdu tutorial "Textured Tile Tessellations." 

I love what I've seen from Roberta Warshaw after taking the class.  She's been experimenting with texture on lots of different shapes!

Happy Halloween everybody!

Concho Beads, Snowflakes, Whitewashed Tin...or what?

These really remind me of the type of pieces that are used in sterling silver Native American concho belts.  I find it interesting that I'm subconsciously influenced by designs and colors that I've grown up with living here in the Southwest for 40+ years (shhh...don't tell).  Or it could be that I'm just looking for these styles in my work because I like them so much.  Either way...I'm going to continue experimenting with my textures on butterfly shapes and ovals too... and hey, maybe I'll even make a belt.

By the way, please visit Artybecca's blog (aka Rebecca Watkins) and Flickr site.  I recently shared a work table with her and was very impressed at her creativity.   That woman is a bead maker extraordinaire!

barbfajardo.com and new shapes

Yes, it's true, it's true...I do neglect this blog.  You know how it goes...there are so many other things that demand attention in our lives.  I won't bore you with mine, at this very moment..let's save that for *another* long awaited blog post ;o)

For now, let me just post a picture for you of some prototypes that I'm working on.  I continue to be fascinated by shapes and alcohol inks.  Today, I'll be trying some birds...

And for those of you who have known me for some time and have my old site linked (the old swirl lentil tutorials...that by now, everyone knows how to make), you may want to link to my new site barbfajardo.com.  Please look around, there is some info on teaching and also some earrings for sale on the purchase page.

Hope you all are enjoying your summer, we can feel fall in the air here already!  Toying around with the idea of weed pulling since we have gotten some nice rain the past few days...or maybe not...

Rose from Escondido

Rose from Escondido purchased Swirl Lentils from me years ago and decided to look me up since she was visiting family here.  She sent a nice note that she had really enjoyed working with my beads and that she would like to take a class from me.  Rose is a very talented jewelry designer, but she felt that it was time that she created her own beads instead of purchasing them from another artist.  

 

We decided on a 4 hour class (which quickly turned into 6 and could have easily gone another 2) and then she told me that she had never worked with polymer before.  Uh oh...  But actually, I thought...this is perfect.  Just last week I got an email from a Bead Society that was interested in my class.  My first thought was, I wonder if someone with no experience with polymer would feel comfortable taking this class?  The world works in mysterious ways...

Turns out the answer is yes... I would even venture to say that a pasta machine is not even necessary.  Rose was my very first student for my new class and she helped me more than she knows.  I took notes as she took notes.  I found out some things that students will definitely want to know, things that I take for granted.  Rose was very happy with her class. She said she learned so much and that I was a patient teacher.  Yay :o) 

Midway, we took a break and chatted out back by my shady Purple Robe Locust Tree.

I made us some guacamole with blue corn chips, orange slices and graham crackers.  Pretty fancy huh?  

Thank you for a great day Rose from Escondido!

Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter to you all!

Attention span and new website.

Mine is low...my attention span that is.  Art ADHD?  I think I have mentioned this "condition" in previous posts.  But, I think my creativity is pretty high.

I'm not a class taker...I'm mostly self taught.  My attention flits from idea to idea and I can't take long to see a piece(s) come to fruition.  If it takes an extra amount of concentration, I can't do it.  I think that's why attending "in person" classes aren't my thing.  Even with books, I tend to flip through them quickly, mostly looking at pictures and rarely taking the time to do a project.   I think it's a blessing and a curse...

I'm not a project person, I'm all about technique.  I change around my work fairly often, because I become bored fairly often.  I use what I know and expand on it. My inspiration mostly comes from inside me.  I like it that way...

My Textured Tile Tesselations class is rather short and simple for the price ($30), but I think it's worth it.  It's a new technique class...it's meant to make you see how you can use the new technique in your own work.  If you've taken "TTT" and want to discuss or ask anything...the hows. the whys. the what ifs.  Please, please talk to me!  Email me at barbfajardo(at)gmail.com, join my classroom or use the option in the class to ask a question, either privately or publicly.  I'm here for you any time...that's why CraftEdu classes are the next best thing to real live classes. 

I will be adding some new content for those of you who have already purchased TTT and have views remaining.  It will touch on the round domed beads and how I use alcohol inks for color.

I'm working on proposals (yes, I know you've heard that before) to share some of what I've learned along the way.  Check my new website which will keep you updated. I've outgrown my old domain name and have found a web host that is about half the price.  I'll probably be shutting down the old site by August or September 2011.


So you have an idea where I'm coming from...my son Daniel graduates (Mechanical Engineering) from college this year and next year wants to leave NM for his Masters.  My youngest Evan, will be a junior at UNM next year (Computer Science) and will probably be moving out soon (he's rarely home as it is).  The boys have their own friends, even though they still like us :-)


That's where I'm at in my world.  Sorry for the unusual length of this post, I've been lax so I figure long is better than not at all! 

Tiered Tessellations and Photo Backgrounds

The polymer beads shown below are domed beads I made using some metal paint tins...I placed raw round cutouts of polymer on the convex sides (the under side of the paint tins) and textured each one with tools that I demonstrate in my Textured Tile Tessellations Class.  I really love how these turned out and will be doing more experimenting.  And yes, the plastic paint tins will melt in your oven as some of us had wondered about on Facebook.

 

 What I really want to show you is a quick side by side comparison of a picture I took today; 

the graduated background I used and what simple photo editing can do for an image. 

Below is a black to white graduated image that I made in photoshop. Click on the image and enlarge it, then "save as" on your computer.  I learned from Janice Abarbanel's Blog - Exploring the Art of Polymer Clay, that she orders her jewelry backgrounds from the printing department of an office supply store. I uploaded the graduated image and ordered mine online at Costco's photo processing site.

Next, I sandwiched the background between non-glare glass (shiny side down) and foam core (you could use cardboard or mat board) and held the 3 pieces together with thin strips of masking tape wrapped around the edges.

If you scroll back up to the collage at the top, you can see the same photo 3 different ways.  The first is the original photo with no editing.  The second has the exposure only auto fixed in picnik.com and the third has a complete auto fix in photoshop. After editing a few different ways, I usually print out a couple of 4x6 prints of each to see which I like better.  Hope this will help you take better photos of your work!

Not a Zentangle

I mention at the beginning of my Texture class that my "Texture Doodling" (copyright 2010) on clay is based on Mehndi and Henna Designs.  Now that the class is up on CraftEdu, I feel that you might like to see the kinds of designs that I've subconsciously been influenced by. 

I had already been working with texture for a while when a few months ago, I ran across some images on Flickr and was mesmerized by the complexity of the designs.  Soon after, I realized how much some of the shapes and designs were working their way into my polymer textures. 

I finally sat down with a two sided sharpie (fine and extra fine tips on one pen) and a piece of copy paper. When I began, the intention wasn't meant to make such a large design, but I just couldn't stop.  I've worked on for the past 4 days and I'm pretty happy with it!  Okay, I'll admit that I'm VERY happy with it.   I even went out today and bought some spray adhesive (I already had some black poster board to mount it on)  and a cheapy black frame.

I discovered that I still  have a very steady hand.  I used to do a lot of watch and some jewelry repair in my younger days selling fine jewelry, and I remember a customer telling me that I must have the hands of a surgeon to be able to work with such tiny parts in watches.  I had forgotten that I could actually draw a pretty straight line!

But, I have to tell you...please don't say this looks like a "Zentangle."  Of course I've seen the black and white drawings and heard of the method, but I have no idea what the rules or constraints are supposed to be.

Anyhow, now I feel like this could be a new addiction for me.  All I know is what I'm influenced by and luckily,  I had a piece of  white paper and black pens to help me express what is in my head.  I know, pretty scary isn't it? ;o)  It looks like a bird to me...

Bazinga? Yes, Bazinga!!

This is a new word to most of us :o)  What it means is that a particular class is being offered up at CraftEdu for 25% off for 24 hours.

You can Bazinga my class (I haven't decided if this new word we use is a noun or a verb) until 12noon MST on Saturday, December 4th...tomorrow!!





This really is a versa"tile" lesson (pun intended)...I used mine for a bracelet, but there are oh, so many things you could try...how about ornaments?  You could theme a small or large tree with a southwestern style tiles!  Here are a few other items you could create from Textured Tile Tessellations:

• Pendants
• Necklaces
• Belts
• Bracelets
• Earrings
• Rings

• Bookmarks
• Picture Frames
• Mirror Frames
• Frame a Window or Door
• Decorate a Door or Cabinet
• Kitchen Backsplash
• Poker Chips
• Magnets

Let's see...what else is new ;o)  I have a page here with some earrings up for sale for the Holidays...be sure to visit.  I'm thinking of doing more selling here on my blog, so you may see more items here than on my website.

Each purchase will be sent on a black signed card, gift boxed and shipped (first class) for free until Friday, Dec. 17.  I've also uploaded some pieces to Flickr, they are for sale and the same free shipping applies.

Ummm, oh yes.  I had an excellent November, hope you did too.  I was notified that a piece of mine is a 2011 Niche Awards Finalist...still can't believe that one.  The winners are announced at the BMAC in February, but don't think I'll be able to attend.  I believe that to have my finalist piece displayed at the show, I need to bring it in person...don't think that's gonna happen.

Also, had a good show Thanksgiving weekend here in Albuquerque and had an artist profile article in the Dec/Jan 2011 issue of Beadwork magazine.  Great people to work with, thank you guys!

Lastly, I was invited to join the oldest co-op gallery in Old Town...about 5 minutes from my house...Yucca Gallery.  I'll be taking some pieces in for jurying next weekend.

Whew!  Have you ever seen so many links in one blog post?!  Happy Holidays all, and thank you for your business and friendship this past year!

Creating the Perfect Swirl Lentil Bead

Tooling around on the web as I often do, I find there are still a lot of questions on why people aren't getting the hang of the Swirl Lentil.  There are some important ingredients that are often overlooked in creating successful swirls:

1.  The polymer clay can't be too firm or too soft.

2.  You may be using too much pressure on the "swirler."

3.  Make sure the work surface and the swirler surfaces are clean.

4.  Are you using glass, plastic or a ceramic tile for either surface? If the clay slips or sticks as you rotate your arm, you may want to try a different surfaces. 

Swirl Lentils can be tricky little buggers, so it may take some experimentation to get everything just right...sort of like Goldilocks and the Three Bears :o)

I have a class on CraftEdu.com that will take you even further in your pursuit of the perfect Swirl Lentil.

Click below to see a free preview of
"Swirl Lentils - Getting Personal"



Hope that helped and good luck!
Barb
www.rubarbdesertdesigns.com

Thinking about where I've been and where I'm going...

Isn't this something we all think about nearly every day?  I have a magazine interview coming up next week and I've decided to put some thoughts down on paper.  I don't do that nearly enough.  I think about things a lot, but rarely do I write them down.

Even blogging has become a bit difficult as I find it's not that easy these days to put my thoughts into words.

So this weekend, that's what I'll do... try to nail down some of the things that make me do what I do.  How I began, where I've been and where I'm going.  Why I enjoy it and what keeps me inspired.  

Have a beautiful weekend all!

Hand dyed silk ribbons

I'm starting to experiment with "Layered Flora" beads.  I bought these gorgeous silk ribbons from the gals at classactdesigns.com at Bead Fest Santa Fe a few months ago.  The centers will most likely be different from what is shown on these...I've even toyed with the idea of embedded turquoise cabs for the centers, but then I would have to up the price and now might not be the time to do that.

I love that you can tie these on any number of ways...and almost anywhere...neck, wrist, hair...I so love it!

Many of you know that I struggle with jewelry designing so I hope these go over well with my customers this summer at the ACRE show and at the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair.

Here is one of my new banners for this year so if you see it hanging in a booth somewhere, you've found me!

No peace and quiet on a Saturday...

Here I was getting ready to be productive this morning.  I have two classes ready for CraftEdu, but both or at least one needs narration.  I knew Rudy was out to play golf, Dan had a track meet to coach and Evan was supposed to be working at UNM.

Must check Facebook first :o)  Then after getting showered, gulping down coffee and readying myself for a not so pleasant task (who likes the sound of their own voice?) Evan pops in.  "They put me in a new building and my key doesn't work...I'm locked out!"....kay....about an hour later he leaves to go play basketball and I think "yesssss..." but in walks Dan from the track meet.  Then about an hour after that Rudy's back from golf. 

Guess what...no narration happened today.  But I did get a lot of fine tuning and editing done, so it wasn't a complete waste of a day.

We're all getting really excited for the launch of CraftEdu.  It's coming...soon...very soon!!!

Tejae, Vintaj and me...

Sweet!  The designers at Vintaj have put up two projects featuring one of my Flora Beads.  The bead used on the project to the left is  on page 12 in Tejae Floyde's new Polymer Artists Showcase book.  I was also very honored to have my Pink Scroll Flora Bead bracelets chosen as the cover image for the book.  And thanks to the gals at Art Bead Scene for the shout out too!










Another announcement:  I am thrilled to be a member of the faculty at Donna Kato's new on-line teaching venue CraftEdu.com along with a few hundred other amazing artist/teachers.  Sign up for notification of the beta launch, scheduled for a date in the very near future!  This is going to be big folks! :o)

For those of you who have asked, most of the beads and jewelry that are left from Santa Fe BeadFest are on my Clearance page.  I'll have lots of new work at the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair in June.

If you're interested in wholesaling my work or beads, please contact me at barbfajardo(at)gmail.com.   All you need to do is supply me with your resale info and I'll send you the password to the wholesale page.  I'm also on-line at WholesaleCrafts.com (artist# 25840).

Happy Spring!!  May the warm sun be shining down on you in your neck of the woods...

Springtime!

It's almost here...I can feel it :o)  

Today was beautiful here in NM and my sinuses are telling me that everything's getting ready to bloom.  

Hope my stuffiness, sneezing and itchy eyes get better by next Thursday.  

Here are a few different kinds of blooms that I will be taking with me up north...Santa Fe here I come!

Railrunner day trip to Santa Fe

This past Sunday Rudy and I finally took the Rail Runner to Santa Fe, just to fart around for the day.  After about 90 minutes and 4 stops we arrived.  We were told that the shuttles around town don't run on Sunday, so we were left to trek to the Plaza on foot...which was fine except that it started snowing (hard) as soon as we got off the train.

Our first stop was just a short walk down the street to Zia Diner catch a bite and warm up.  We then made our way to the Plaza and we see a Five and Dime store.  Again, we need to warm up and dry off a bit.  I had a hat and scarf, but no gloves...so I find a great little pair of purple gloves for $3.99.  Hey, you can't beat that right?

Next, it's on to the La Fonda, where I want to check out the Ballroom where my table will be at the Santa Fe Bead Fest in a few weeks.  We were lucky enough to have a nice security guard open up the Ballroom so that I can take a peek.  I had been there some years ago, but it looks different.

We rested in some wonderfully comfortable big leather chairs in the lobby and wondered what we wanted to do next.  We had about 5 hours to kill.  We cross the plaza over to the Palace of the Governors to look at the Native Americans selling turquoise jewelry on the ground as they've done for almost 75 years. 

Around the corner we find the New Mexico History Museum which just opened last May.  It's an incredibly gorgeous museum and one that you should definitely see when in Santa Fe.   If you get a chance go before the Fashioning New Mexico exhibit leaves on April 10.  The wedding dresses were just mesmerizing.  I got lost imagining the lives of the people who wore these lovely costumes.  Rudy had to go and sit it out, I just didn't want to leave!

Again, we talked to a really great security guard at the museum, who directed us across the street to warm up in a sweet little bar at the Inn of the Anasazi.  Couple of beers later and we were back outside.  The snow has finally stopped. 

Time to find Rudy's college roommate Nick who he hasn't seen in about 30 years.  He owns a bar called Evangelo's.  It was so funny to listen them talk about the old crazy college days.  A portion of the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges was filmed at his bar.

We are down to about 2 hours until the train leaves for Albuquerque and we've worked up quite an appetite.  So we decide to walk back towards the Santa Fe Depot and we find a cool place that is across the street from Zia which was our first stop at 11:30 that morning.  It's called Cowgirl BBQ...thought we could catch the Olympic hockey game on the big screen, but they weren't playing yet. 

With only about 45 minutes now before the train pulls in we decide to go and have apple pie and coffee at The Flying Star.

What a day...whew!  Exhausted, but happy!

I'm thinking about all of my clay friends traveling to Baltimore for Synergy2 this week.  I so wanted to join you guys, but I'll be following all the fun on Crafthaus where Cynthia Tinapple of Polymer Clay Daily and Libby Mills will be live blogging for the event.  Can't wait for pictures too, so don't let me down peeps! ;o)

Hope you all have a blast!!

Dream Interpretation and new bracelets

I always have trouble coming up with a blog post, which is doubly hard for me because I'm a terrible typist.

But, I have been on a bracelet making binge and I had a weird dream last night.  I'm hoping if I tell you about the dream, it will help me figure out if there is a connection between the two.  LOL, just for fun you know...

So, to make a long dream short...

I'm with some old friends (think 20's when we used to party every weekend, no clay friends)...they had rented this enormous house in a gated community that was at the very top of a winding trail of ups and downs, steps and ramps. It took quite a while to get there...going along narrow ledges and crumbling steps.  I feel like I'm in Spain.

We finally get to the fabulous house which is like a long southwestern ranch spread, one story with lots of space.  Some people are relaxing in about 6 claw footed bathtubs (weirdest part for sure) on different levels of a sunroom with lots of hanging ferns.  There is sumptuous ochre leather furniture, a roaring fire (although it is summer outside) and a Spanish tiled kitchen.

So, I walk through the house putting my purse in one of the back rooms.  I'm kind of disgusted because the house is a mess...not with trash, but just junk everywhere.  A house this beautiful should be kept nicer.

When we leave, neighbors are partying in swimming pools and on decks at some of the houses we pass on the way down.  Again, we are winding up and down steps, and around winding curves.  About half way down we stop to chat with people.

Then I remember that I left my purse, go back by myself and wonder if I can even find the house again. None of the houses looks familiar so I circle around, go back, take different turns like I'm in a maze.  Finally, I end up at a dead end and then I wake up!

Strange, huh.  It really was a pretty and colorful dream though!

Oh, here's the bracelets ;o)

BeadFest Santa Fe 2010!

I'm happy to announce that I'll be showing at BeadFest Santa Fe this March!  The Show is at the new Convention Center and at the La Fonda Hotel.  I'll be in the La Fonda Ballroom booth #27.  I'd love for you to come by and say hi if you attend the show.  Santa Fe is beautiful in the springtime and the show promises to be as gorgeous as it was last year
.

I need to let you all know that most of the unsold merchandise here on my site will be taken with me to Santa Fe, so if you've been looking at some beads or jewelry now is the time to purchase them.  I will keep everything here until Sunday, February 28th.  After that what's gone is gone!

Happy February to you all.  Here's hoping that Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow tomorrow ;o)

New Style - Watercolor Flora

So...last year my wholesale line did well, but I've never been very comfortable making the same thing over and over.  Even making different textures, using different colors of paints, trying different petal shapes and petal arrangements hasn't been very satisfying.  I should be figuring out how to make rings and brooches and narrowing down my 2010 line, taking pictures, making a catalog. And I have other deadlines that I need to meet, but yet again...I get sidetracked thinking of new bead designs.   

Anyhow, I like these beads and it felt good making them.  Being able to shape individual petals and not feeling so constricted with petal shape is more my style. I've been getting a little tired of brown acrylic paint and missing using black clay.  I like using clay bits for the centers of the flowers instead of embossing powder or coiled clay. 

For my next set I'll change up the layout...because like I said, I'm easily distracted...but I'm guessing you all can figure that out by now ;o)  I must have ADD for artists...bet lots of you can relate.

Merry Christmas!