Still Hoppin - and Call of the Wild

Call of the Wild teaser - only because the photo won't go where I want to put it!

First of all - I admit that I was premature in my 'critique' of the most recent blog hop.  I'm still not done hoppin' through them all - but there ARE some pieces that'll knock your socks off.  Sorry if I offended.  I am not an official critic, nor do I expect people to really take me seriously.  I'm just spoutin' out loud and spilling into cyberspace - something that I do more and more often as I age.  So lest I offend again:  Here is my list of favorites from what I've seen so far (if you're not on it, sorry - doesn't mean you didn't do the work, just means it's not my fave):

As with last year, my over all favorite is EVA KOVACS!  Seed beads, of course.  And weaving, so you know that I'm going to love it.  Seed bead shout outs to Laurie Keefe-Cecere, Ginger Bishop & Martina Nagele (also blog partners), for their unique use of seed beads too.
I also give two beaded thumbs up to Marjolein Trewavas for the air of romance that her piece gives.  So pretty;  Cory Celaya and Cassie Donlen are the most unique pieces I've seen so far, and WIRE!  LOTS and lots of wire this time - my favorite wire WOW?  Dana Hickey.   Not done hopping yet - but that may be my last post about it.  Like I said - I don't intend to be, nor want to be an official critic, nor want people to start hating on me for speaking my mind.  Lori Anderson does a fantastic job putting this all together, and I don't want negative vibes to start shadowing our blog/FB friendships either. 
So, that was the TELL.   Now - on with the SHOW: 

"Call of the Wild"
You may remember the last time you saw the focal - there were no 'feathers'.  Once I completed the whole thing, I realized it just didn't look balanced without them. 

I even 'feathered' the bottom part of the chain ring/toggle clasp.  Again, I thought it needed the balance.

So there it is.  Call of the Wild is truly one of the wildest pieces I've ever done.  I think I'll show it off at the bookstore for a month or so, before I take it to the Art Gallery Show in April - IF it makes it that far!  $220.00 though.  Not sure my bookstore clientele will go for that.
Anyway.  On with my day.  A quick trip to the bookstore, then I think I'll treat myself to an afternoon at another bookstore - Barnes & Noble, hang in the cafe, browse the stacks, maybe find some fun new bead books to buy.
Peaceful beading - and blog hopping!
TTFN

Are seed beaders still in the minority?

Despite the fact that there are books, magazines, and tons of other resources devoted to patterns and techniques - it seems as though we seed bead artists (and that's what we are, artists) are still among the minority, bead-wise.  As I hop through the Blog Party blogs to see what the swappers came up with, I have seen very few seed beads, and even less weaving.  Am I the only one that can whip out an entire cabochon rich, seed bead detailed necklace AND earrings in less than a week?   All I know is, if I am ever lucky enough to be chosen to participate, whatever I receive as beads to work with from my partner, WILL have seed beads, and weaving.  It's what I do.
It just seems as though many of the party participants, even though they requested to do so, didn't have time to devote to putting together something worth while.  So far, the only pieces I'm impressed with are the pieces done by the woman who lost a close family member in a car accident in the middle of the creative process (yet still managed to finish & post on time), and Lori's, of course.  Come on girls - step up to the bowl!  Stir that imagination a little more!  Add some spice!  Now granted - I haven't even made it half way through - so I may be premature in my 'critique'.  I'm headed back there now, fully intending to be blown away by some of the awesome beaders I know are out there. 
Just my observations on a windy, snowy and as of yet sufficiently caffeinated Sunday morning.  =@)
Peaceful beading - and by the way - 'Call of Wild' WILL be finished TODAY.
TTFN

The Call is getting Wilder

I still have to make two more of the feather/rings, but have decided to take out the clasp/cabs and just use a bar and loop.

Photos still don't quite do it justice - the leathery cab is a pretty moss green, and there is more moss green amongst the turquoise and peridot - so it's MUCH brighter in person!
Hopefully I'll have more progress to blog about this weekend - but hubby surprised me with a day off, so a three day weekend, and no plans means we just may go find something to DO!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

"The Call of the Wild"

Or at least I THINK that's the name.  It may decide else-wise as I continue on - but here's another peak at the progress being made.  The PROBLEM with designing on the fly, off the top of your head, and whenever the whim hits, is that you have to try to REMEMBER HOW you did something in case you need to duplicate it.  Example:

I had this idea in my head, and even drew it out on paper.  I wasn't even sure I could implement it.  BUT - implement I did, and quite quickly too.  Only problem being - I need FOUR of them.  So now I'm studying this piece like mad, (and yes, I'm writing it down this time) trying to remember how I did it.  It will be a part of the necklace base that holds this pendant, which is still not really finished - it will have some gorgeous opaque turquoise daggers along the fringe at the bottom:

So next time you see it, I'll include the fringe portion too.  I still have have two more cabs to surround, and 2 1/2 more link/feather pieces to complete - but all in all - it's coming together as I envisioned.  WILD!
I should probably take this time to make a sad announcement too - I'll soon be losing one of the shops  where I've been selling my things.  The Grand-dale Shoppe is closing it's doors.  It was a great little place - in a kinda bad location; a very small town where people gathered at the restaurants, and the post office, but rarely ventured out into town to do other things.  And since they are on the outskirts, with somewhat limited parking - well, unfortunately, it was probably inevitable.  And I kinda knew that going in.  Even though the building was for sale the whole time, they tried very hard to make a go, and bring events and excitement to Dimondale.  It was fun while it lasted, and I have new friends and new opportunities because of it.  Thanks Jim and Dawn, for allowing me to be a part of your little place for awhile.
And speaking of The Grand-dale Shoppe - that's where I'm off to today, and Coyote Wisdom too.  Making the rounds, visiting my peeps, havin' some fun on a somewhat sunny day.  At least it's not snowing!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Bead Table Wednesday

On my bead table today is the continuation of the cab piece from the floor a few posts back.  Here is the progress I've made:

I have also added:

Smaller turquoise cabs for accent - or clasp.  Haven't decided which yet.

There is some chain, and silver, and probably LOTS of feathery fringe to be added still. 

Below is the whole kit and caboodle that I've thrown together for this piece.  It will have a peacock themed name - but it hasn't come to me yet.

And as an extra added bonus:  I made these a few weeks ago to add to my "Metal-icious" line - I absolutely LOVE the pendant - and it may have to be a keeper if it doesn't sell right away.

Happy Leap Day!
Peaceful Beading,
TTFN

Cool Moon and the Coyote

As you may have seen from the link and the profile to the right, I am 'into' metaphysics. I have worked in the field for over 10 years, but have been drawn to various spiritual paths for much longer than that. I am also an Astrologer, a Reiki healer, and a Feng Shui expert. I currently spend many part time hours holding down the fort at Coyote Wisdom, a wonderful store on the northern edge of Lansing. It's in a converted house (house stores always seem to be so cozy), so space is limited - and filled to the brim with ALL things new age, spiritual, mystical and beautiful. I also have my beads and jewelry there, and am developing a following with many of the regulars. I took my camera with me to work today, so I thought I would treat you to a tour - of my space, and of Coyote in general. (Thanks to fellow Coyote-ian James Wortz for providing the Coyote store photos.) So grab a beverage, and sit back and enjoy.... 

My "Cool" space in the bay window. 

I specialize in mystical pieces, and usually incorporate at least one type of semi precious gemstone bead into each piece I make.  The Buddha piece in this photo is done with Sodalite, which is for mental accuity, and aids in reaching spiritual enlightenment.

This shelf is based on the feminine, with the Ankh featured in several of the pieces. 

A selection of mostly semi precious beads - there is also a tray of glass for accents, and a tray of Sterling Silver beads and findings.  I have strings of beads hanging from rods in the window, as well as focal pendant beads in bone, stone, wood and glass.

THIS is the book nook.  The Astrology section of our little store.

A very small selection of the different types of semi precious stones we carry.  These are our biggest sellers, with people spending HOURS and LOTS OF CASH on stones that hold various energies and properties.  Our stone section is the best in the area, and it grows regularly.

We also carry a large selection of Essential oils, incense, candles, Tarot cards, and all types of import items from the middle East, India, Africa and other exotic places.
I would like to thank you for taking my little 'tour', and invite you to visit our store or at least - our website. 
www.coyotewisdomstore.com has a video tour on the home page of many other features of the shop.

Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Designing from the floor

People are always asking me how I do it;  how I combine colors, textures, and simply find my ideas.  And I gotta tell ya - most of the time, they find ME.   What happened this morning is a perfect example.   I just got some cool seed bead & Swarovski mixes from Fusion Beads that included not only a pretty turquoise shade, but some lime, and some deep greens as well.  So what do I put with them?  I pulled out my bag of cabs - there are probably about 50 cabs in this bag.  I pulled out some turquoise.  Ok.  Now we're forming a plan.  Then I pulled out a serpentine/pyrite cab in the lime color.  Ok.  But not floating my boat quite yet.  I went through the ENTIRE bag of cabs, looking for the perfect companions for what I knew was going to be Turquoise, Lime and Dark Green.  Finding nothing better - the serpentine/pyrite became the choice.  OR SO I THOUGHT.  I looked down, and on the floor - there it was.  The PERFECT companion for the dark green shade in the seed bead mix, a Moss Agate cab, screaming PICK ME, PICK ME!:

And THAT is how I end up designing most of the time.  I let the pieces tell me themselves when and how they want to be used, and just as with "Vintage Wynter", they tend to turn out more perfectly than when I take the time to plan ahead.  Hence the reason for the box of UFO's!  :0)
So here is the beginning of the next project.  I'm thinking of the peacock theme for this, and matched a few colors to the feathers I keep on hand:

A little more subtle shading than normally seen when designing around the peacock theme, and there really is a bit more lime (more peridot/olive) in the bags than you can see in this photo - but I kind of like it. The lime will be more of an accent than an in your face!  Just gotta wait for the glue to dry on those cabs, and then I'm off to the races!

Peaceful beading,
TTFN