Amazing artists

Here is just one of the amazing artists that I met at the fair...her name is Dee Sanchez and she did a demo at her booth (which just happened to be next to me). Hopefully I will own something of hers by the fall. You can't even imagine how beautiful her work is in person...

Good show :o)

I had a very good show this past weekend at the NM Arts and Crafts Fair. All of the artists are incredible and so nice. Here are a couple of pictures of the booth before the show started. I have a few more, I just have to find my camera *g*

My bead room is a disaster, so that's what I'll be working on for the next week or two. Hope everyone is well.

Who was first??? me, you, who?

Gosh, I get tired of this. I wish some people would just get over this fascination/obsession they have with noting on every board they visit "who did what when" whether they're asked or not.

I'm sure many don't know the story (especially those new to polymer clay), so let me give you the short version. I "invented" something all by my little 'ole self...or at least I thought I had...for about a year or three.

Swirl Lentils we call 'em. Or some call them 'Swirly Lentils'...don't like the 'y' added, cuz it makes them sound silly somehow.

A few years back, a polymer clay artist decided to post a tutorial on her site on how to make them. From what I've heard, this artist learned the technique from a friend...who learned the technique from the "originator" (hate that word, I like to say "pioneer") at a polymer clay conference.

So after this artist posted her tutorial, she was asked by the "originator" to take the tutorial down. She refused. So, in order not to look like I was using or had used this tutorial, I put up my own versions on PCC called "Scrappy Swirls" and another on my site called "Swirled Lentils with Beadcaps and Inclusions."

I'm sick of some trying to make me out as someone stealing this other artist's thunder (the one that posted a tutorial of a technique learned from the "originator").

...nuff said...thank you for your support my friends :o)
Huge hugs,
Barb

Memorial Day Fun

Hope everyone is having a nice holiday. We just got back from our favorite city park where we let Bailey and Radar run free and the men throw frisbee...I take the pics, that's why I'm not in any of them. You can see them here.

We'll be at a cabin in Colorado this Wednesday through Friday...have a great week everyone!

Painted beads that I don't like much...

I finally got a pic of the infamous "too much paint" beads...this is actually the nicer of the three sets from that same group. If you search back a few posts, you'll see how pretty they were. I guess they're okay now, but I wish I had been wise enough to leave them be. I'm staying home this Memorial Day weekend. Whatever you're doing, be safe, have fun and say a prayer for our guys and gals out there...

Summery beads for ya...

Hope all you moms had a wonderful day yesterday :o)

ugh...not feeling well today...

My son brought home some kind of germ(s) from a friend's house last week. He got a little sick (sore throat, cough and stuffy head) and several of the other boys that were there came down with something too. Funny, just the other day I was thinking..."dang, I haven't been sick in ages..." and then...bam. :o(

Just finished some chicken soup...I hope it helps because I'm not getting a darn thing done today.

Finished these up on Friday night. Keeping myself away from the gold pen was not an easy thing. I wanted these to look natural and antiqued, but I'm afraid they look a little dark. My next thought is to make coordinating beads in maybe faded greens or blues and combine them artfully with these (in necklaces for the show in June).

Fragile egos...

I think it would be safe to say that most artists have very fragile egos...one day we might think we are doing great work and the next, we might say to ourselves that we're just lucky or that something pretty that we've made is just a fluke...or that we're trying too hard, or any number of things go through our heads making us doubt ourselves. After my last bead set that I worked on way too much and finally sort of ruined by adding too many layers of paint, I finally got back to some clay after a few days of feeling less than good about my work. Something made me pull out my pearlex and perfect pearls...these are what came out. Whew, I feel better today :o)

Work juried into Bead Dreams '07

I just got my acceptance letter today :o)

I read and re-read the contract and I think I'm fine showing you which set I'm sending off to them tomorrow. All they ask is that you do not submit the work to another publisher for one year after the close of the show. If anyone knows different, please let me know asap. Thanks gals...and guys... *g*

Three adjectives...

If you could use only three adjectives to describe your work, what would they be? My three just came to me (in the shower of course)...they are "soft, natural and sparkle y." I don't try to make my work look like any of these...it's just what comes out of me...over and over again...

I was looking over my "links" page on my site. I do that from time to time to make sure all of the links work still. Victoria Hughes (who used to live here in Albuquerque and then in Santa Fe) is working on a new site. When she was here in NM, she was learning how to use hypnotherapy (from a fine institution in Santa Fe) to help artist's find their own voice. I was lucky enough to serve as one of her first "guinea pigs." And how lucky I was...to be in the right place at the right time. I think of her often and how I still carry that "stone in my pocket." I check for it and it's still there...as soft, natural and sparkle y as ever.

From what I can tell from her new site, it appears that she has moved back east. I think her parents (or her mom) live there. We miss her here in NM.

As of today...

I've worked on these off and on for 3 days. I'm almost afraid to get them near any paint...

I call these "Coleus"

...because I love the colors of Coleus leaves...

Beads after gilding, painting...

You're gonna have to go to flickr to see...sorry to tease you :o) I try to spread out my photos between here and there.

Before paint...

I needed to take a picture of this set before any paint or antiquing application. I want to learn to limit how much paint I use as I tend to get way too engrossed in it and then it's too late! I can always add more paint later and like they say anyway "less is more!" Another thing I always say to myself as I work is "keep it simple, stupid!" *g*

I also thought I would show you a few pictures of what my clay table looks like at the moment...

Added to my list...and new beads :o)

I've added a 7th rule to my list:

7. If you publish a tutorial, be as sure as you can that no one else has published the same or nearly the same tutorial first. You don't want to be accused of riding other's coattails.

A lesson that I learned from Sarah Shriver...never judge your work until you are done with the piece. When I took a workshop with her (the only one I've ever taken, btw), I was only in the first steps of making my intricate Kaleidoscope cane. I hated how it looked and whined to Sarah. She said something like, "I think it will look cool, just keep going..."

At the end I loved how the cane turned out. I was reminded of her when I finished these. Everyone that has seen them so far seems to like them the best of the new flora beads...

Polymer Clay with a Conscience

There is another uproar in the community about techniques...which ones are proprietary and which are not. In my opinion, no technique is proprietary...someone, somewhere has probably done it before. It would be impossible to say who owns any particular technique.

So, here are the rules that I live by in my PC life.

1. Do not publish (Internet or in print) or teach a technique that you learned directly from the artist (or even from someone else that learned it directly from the artist). Most likely they are teaching it and some of their income relies on it.

2. Reverse engineering something that you see is fine. Do not claim yourself as the "originator." Give credit to the artist that inspired you.

3. Do not ask an artist how they did something. If they want to share, they will.

4. If you see another artist's work and it inspires you to try something similar, put your own spin on it. Make every effort to be different.

5. Great minds *do* think alike. It's always possible that two (or more) people working with the medium will create similar pieces and think that their piece or technique is unique to them. Calling someone an "originator" is a confusing term.

6. Don't police the community. This kind of behavior can only alienate people that just want to learn. Let them.

7. If you publish a tutorial, be as sure as you can that no one else has published the same or nearly the same tutorial first. You don't want to be accused of riding other's coattails.

We're grown-ups, polymer clayers with a conscience don't need anyone telling them right from wrong. As another PC artist told me once..."The cream always rises to the top." :o)

I may change and edit this post as needed. This is just a start. If any of you think like I do and would like to make suggestions to anything I've posted, please let me know...

Latest obsession :o)

This is what happened last week. I got a little carried away with the paint on a few of them....

My booth in Tucson at TBTB

Thought you all might like to see my smiling face. My good friend Kathi who came along to Tucson to help her friends with potty breaks and such took this photo of me at my booth in the SilverBell Ballroom at the Manning House Mansion...and OMG! I got accepted into the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair this summer in Albuquerque!!

If you would like to see pictures of Jana, Kathi, Christi and Sarah at To Bead True Blue this year...check out my flickr photos.

A few more capped on top sets...

Hope you like :o)

Capped on top...new bead style

Here is my new lentil style (also shown in the previous necklaces made for Tucson)...matte finish with caps on top. The bead holes from side to side still, but closer to the top of the bead, so that when they're strung they curve inward. I'm also into mixing matte and polished of the same colors...

Necklaces made for Tucson

Finally, now that things are back to sort of normal around the house, I wanted to show you all a couple of necklaces that I made for Tucson using the photos of the Native American pots (previous post) that were my inspiration. I priced these sort of high, so I figured they wouldn't sell (which is good, really...making jewelry is NOT my strong suit, so I will keep these for display at future shows). My bud Kathi (who is quite the shopper I must say!) had to have one of the black ones, so it went to a good home. I'll show you a couple more necklaces that I made for the Tucson show in my next post. Hope you all are well :o)

Crazy snow!!

This is more snow than I have ever seen here in town...see more in my Flickr pics

Color themes for Tucson

Since I call my business "Desert Designs" I'm trying to stick to some "desert" color themes for my show in Tucson. Here are a few lovely Indian Pots that are inspiring me at the moment (Acoma and Jemez).

I love cornstarch!!!!

okay guys (?) and gals...here's the deal. You can use cornstarch to smooth your beads before curing. I just barely dip a finger in it and then gently smooth each bead all over (after I've put holes in). You can use a medium touch and not worry about distorting the swirl pattern. Then after curing, they go in the icewater bath for a while, and then....I only hand sand with 1000 grit and I get a lovely finish. The very best part of this is that I've been skipping the glazing step and I'm so much happier with the feel of them. There are more pictures in my flickr photo album. Try it, you'll like it!! *g*

A little late for Halloween perhaps...

I was not thinking of Halloween when I made these...but, oh well. If you like orange, it's all good...*g*

Took a while...

to get the brown paint dug out from under my nails...*g*

I can only go so long...

without sparkley, shiney...

Anyhow, why sparkley, shiney on Election Day? Could it be the beginning of a new vibe in the country? Will things begin to look and feel sparklier and shinier? Please go vote if you haven't yet...

Hugs all,
~ru

New sets, before antiquing (sp?)

We're off to the movies...wanted to post this set first. I just finished rubbing acrylic on the first bunch and was tempted to add some kind of gold edges. They look better left alone...

Love these colors together!

More new stuff...think the next set will be antiqued with brown acrylic. Feeling the need to do something earthtone or monochromatic.

Where have all the bead buyers gone?

I have a strange feeling that my mass emailings are getting eaten by my buyer's junk email filters. I guess I'll have to put some beads either on eBay or JustBeads. I really want to try a few sets starting at 99 cents, but here's the rub. I figure I'll spend most of my time watching the auctions and getting upset because of not*enough* bidding or hoping people don't bid too high!! I think I've already decided on eBay, sadly JustBeads doesn't get much action...but I hate the type of PC beads that are on eBay. And the last time I listed on eBay, I listed in the lampwork category as well. I got a few emails from lampworkers that didn't want me listing in *their* category.* Have you seen some of the prices that they get for their bead sets? Some go for over $500. Anyway, I don't think they should be threatened by lil ole me... ;o)

Blue Green weekend

These are basically the color of my shower tiles. Some of you know that I can get inspired in the shower *g*

Almost ready...

These are a set of sculpted, capped lentils that I made yesterday. I think I'll be sending out my mass mailing tomorrow sometime. Need to start earning some Christmas cash :o)

Last Flowers of 2006...and some beads :o)

I made these when my site was down. Haven't decided how to group them for sale yet. I like them all shown together like these are...and I'm always toying with the idea of starting a large set on eBay for 99 cents, like some of the lampwork artists do. For them it might work, but I'm not sure about a "lowly" set of PC beads *g*

And I just had to shoot a picture of my flowers out back...I know they won't be here much longer. They sure are pretty aren't they?

Color, shape and style inspiration

Occasionally, I look at the glass beads on eBay to see the pretties. Today I found three auctions of just beautiful beads...thought you might like to see what might inspire me from time to time. Hope they inspire you too :o)

Bluff Lampwork beads
Si Designs
Sisters Beads

My website host is down :o(

In the...what, four years since I've been hosting my site through Homestead, it's never been down. Well, the day finally came yesterday. It was down all day yesterday, and still is this morning. My site is still viewable which is good, but I can't edit it at all. I was right in the middle of getting an enormous amount of work done on it, and now it's on hold. Oh well, good time to make some beads right? :o)

Morning everyone...it's the annual Albuquerque International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta here...I took a few pictures at the Special Shapes Mass Ascension yesterday. If you like to see them, look here.

I also made up a necklace a few days ago...

Here I is... :o)

Son Dan was hamming it up on Saturday morning...and here I am Sunday afternoon. The show wasn't spectacular, but I met some neat people and my booth was between two really cool ladies. I'll include a few other pictures as I changed the booth set-up and used bamboo blinds from my porch and put the table inside. When the sun hit some of the pendants on Saturday, I overheard a woman say "this thing would burn a hole in my chest!" That's when I had the table facing south. It was about 85 degrees...crazy hot!