Monday, December 27, 2010

Is It A Bird...A Plane..No It's Insectus Invictus II the South American Pre-Colombian Pendants

New in my Etsy Shop...





My designs are loosely based on a Pre-Colombian Airplane Model...Gold trinkets were found in an area covering Central America and coastal areas of South America, estimated to belong to a period between 500 and 800 CE that look very much like aircraft...but were probably depictions of insects.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Insectus Invictus...New in my shop

I have a real love hate relationship with insects. They are beyond amazing and beautiful and intricate in their design...but you gotta add a lot of points for creepy:)







I am on an insect kick right now and these is the first of my little guys. All thanks to inspiration from fellow Etsian Belvedere...and her wonderful lampwork insects:) You can find more of her work on her blog at.... http://lucindastorms.blogspot.com/


These are Raku pendants. Smoke black on back from raku process. Some of the back is glazed. There is a hole from top to bottom to attach to your project.

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

A Real Lovely from Christinesbeadworks Featuring One of my Buttons

Christine says of her lovelies..."An iridescent raku button is the focal point of this sumptuous cuff. Shades of copper, eggplant, green, and blue shimmer from the ceramic button. Equally luxurious is a foundation of lambskin leather in eggplant with subtle shimmer and a black hatch pattern. Complementing the design are three luscious layers of fringe; picasso daggers on the bottom topped with two rows of Swarovski crystals.

The Details:
The base includes an inner layer of peltex fused to a top layer of highest quality leather. An inner brass core provides strength and structure and the cuff is lined with ultra suede, a synthetic suede with a rich soft feel against the skin.


As a finishing touch, the entire edge of the cuff is trimmed with seed beads.

Elegant and wearable, this cuff will enhance your wardrobe and is suitable for both daytime and evening wear."

Width: Approximately 1.75 inches
Length: Adjustable

Pop on over to Christine's shop to see this and her other outstanding artisan work. Click on title above to go right to her shop:) Enjoy!! Great Christmas shopping there!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It's getting close...That time of the year for the One World One Heart Trip

This event was so much fun last year...my first to participate. So many blogs to read and blogger artists to get to know. So very many kindred spirits! If you want to participate and get the skinny on what One World One Heart is all about...click on the title above to visit Lisa's blog...A Whimiscal Bohemian... and see how her idea blossomed in to the event it is today:)

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Treasure At The End Of The Rainbow.....A Great Raku Firing..



I feel like I have raided an ancient treasure chest...hidden by the fairies at the end of the rainbow! Can you believe the richness of the colors from this firing? The kiln God is mostly kind to me and my creations:) But She has out done Herself in this firing.

The glazes are always nice in their coppers and silver and gold tones, but the richness of the blues and magenta are splendid. There are pinks and teals and colors I can't describe.


I can not take credit for this!! The outside temperature, the time to get these into reduction, the time these sat to soak at the 1850 plus degrees are all a variable. This is what I always hope for from a firing, but rarely get:)


It is a shame that no matter how I photograph these, I can not get the richness of color. There is a worn shine on the ridges of the golden yellows like they have been touched and loved for years.

I am working on getting many of these listed. I have cabochons, and pendants. There are insects, and crosses and Guardian Angels. There is even a four eyed catfish in the mix...only from Wondrousstrange would you find a four eyed catfish:)

To say I am proud of this firing is an under statement...now I have to start at the beginning again and create some new designs in wet clay, bisque, glaze and try to repeat this firing...hoping for another like this. I love this process...I am so happy to be able to work in this medium!! This firing is my passion revealed:)

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Round and Round We Go...

Hurry before they all get away!! There are some lovely photographs from my fellow Etsy Independent Photographer Team members in here as well...and what can I say about LaShells silk sari....yummy...and Elsiee's always beautiful ear ring creations?

Click on title above to go right to my treasury page:) Happy Holidays!!

I'm Late...so Late for a Very Important Date... ABS Ornament Blog Hop

Though I was a last minute entrant....I am so please to participate. This is my little offering in the Art Bead Scene Ornament Blog Hop. We just had our first snow of the season here in northern North Carolina! What do you do when it snows...gotta hold that hand out to see if you can catch those wonderfully intricate flakes. This was actually made as a sample for a special request I had. I really like how the design turned out and the raku firing was fantastic! It was fired the same day as the snow...and I think the low temps outside made the glaze cool a little quicker before reduction...and that is how these beautiful colors entered the world. Every firing that day had spectacular coloring:) This little treasure has a fired in loop on the back so that it can hang or it could set on a table as a penny or ring catcher. I think this will be a permanent design in my shop:)

I don't know if this link will work or not...but if you click on the title above you will be transported to the Art Bead Scene blog listing all the links to other bead artists who will share their Winter Treasures with you:) Happy Holidays!!!

The blog hop participants:

Art Bead Scene - you are here!














Sunday, December 5, 2010

In Celebration of Our First Snow of the Season...

Click on the title above to go to the treasury page. Hope you have time to visit the shops. Gotta say...that Snow Bunny would look lovely under my tree:) Enjoy!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Pretty In Pink...Etsy Artist's Style

This was an interesting group of finds. Pink just kept coming up in the Pounce Undiscovered section...so it really called for a treasury:) I love the hints of pink in each of these items...or backgrounds. Hope you will take time to visit each artists' shop. Click on the title above to go directly to this treasury page. All your clicks and comments help these wonderful artists make it to the Front Page of Etsy....which translates into sells!! Go Pink!!!


While I have your attention:) Harry at www.oscarcrow.etsy.com has added another creation using one of my little raku beads.

This is a 2 inch disk of brass is hand embossed and treated with a blue patina. Surmounting this is the image of the full moon face in shiny brass. Hung below is a handmade raku sphere (my raku), and suspended below that are three silver hearts with a vintage patina. Supporting the whole is a fine brass chain 18 inches long.Total length is about 5 inches.

Harry would love a visit from you as well!! Thanks Bunches!!