November BJP

Three Goddesses

I've had this piece done for weeks and completely forgot to upload it to my blog. I guess I got into the thought process that since is was done that's all I had to do. Duh! I was very busy at that time with getting ready for a large show and having enough jewelry and art for it.

When I started looking at the month, November, I went to my Pagan Book of Days by Nigel Pennick, to get an idea. I read down the page a bit, describing the month and what it held, and thought I could do a Moon month page. Then I read farther and saw that November "is sacred to the Mothers, the three goddesses that personify the triple goddess of girl, mother, and old woman, particularly in her third aspect. Its sacred color is red." That worked for me.

I went through my stash and found three faces that would signify the Mother, Maiden and the Crone. I divided them up in a not so even way, (not everything in life is fair), and put the Crone at the top. Each goddess has her color, white for the Maid, black for the Mother and red for the Crone. Each is surrounded by her "color" in a separate bead stitch, with a silver background and a red border.

As the days darkened while I could find the time to work on my page, I was able to acknowledge the Crone in myself. Persephone sleeps and my creativity slows down, waiting for the first green sprouts of Spring.

Busy Hands.....

Zebra Bead Necklace with handmade bead pendant
Zebra Bead Necklace with black and silver beads and black facted glass beads
Antiqued Silver Necklace in various bead designs
Chinese Turquoise and Coral Necklace These are a few of the necklaces I've been busy working on in the past few weeks. Yep, I'm having fun with my beads! While working on one necklace I come up with other ideas for more necklaces and it seems my mind is busier than my hands can keep up. Now I have to come up with a way to display my work for the Open Doors Show. I don't want to use the same thing as I did last year. Hmmmm, I'll have to do a trial set up in the garage. I'll take pics to show what it will look like.

Last Monday, my friend Diane went in for surgery for her cancer. After a number of chemo treatments we all thought the tumor was shrunken enough to cut it out and have no more problems. Well....come to find out, the chemo had destroyed it completely and there is NO sign of it anywhere! To ensure the there would be no "female" problems later in life, the surgeon performed a hysterectomy, a procedure that was discussed with Diane before the first surgery. She is doing VERY well and sounded clear and happy and relieved. I was not able to go see her while she was here because of a cold I have. grrrr This is what I get for going out and being sociable the week before. But, I'm so GLAD everything came out great! She still has two more chemo treatments before the end of the year and then she gets to grow her hair back!

Crystals and more

I've been rather busy this past week. I had fun playing with more of my crystals and created this necklace,got about 30 pairs of earrings done and had a challenge with the October theme for my 8 x 8 challenge. You can see what I did for it here: Natured Gathered

Now I have to finish up my November page for the Bead Journal Project and get some more little things done for the Portland Art Collective show. Don't forget to periodically check on our blog to see some great art and further information regarding the Open Doors Show Portland Art Collective

Fire and Wind

Here are the two necklaces that I finally came up with for the
Earth, Wind, Fire, Water show in Gresham. Take in is tomorrow and runs until December 11th. Each one of these necklaces has been reworked, restarted in different forms and changed from the original ideas I had for them. I'm happy with the way they turned out and hope that everyone at the show will be too.

The Tao Speaks

While cleaning out things I came across my Pocket Edition of the Tao te Ching. I opened the book at a quite appropriate page relating to the past few weeks.

Chapter 75
"When taxes are too high,
people go hungry.
When the government is too intrusive,
people lose their spirit.

Act for the people's benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone."

Stephen Mitchell, Tao te Ching, 1988

Dreamweaver

This is my Dreamweaver. I purchased the face about 12 years ago and had this basic idea for using him. Originally I was going to use red beads in a rectangular frame, but that changed. I like the round frame and the black beads work better. The frame measures 16" in circumference and it is all bead embroidered. It took me over 300 hours to do and don't even ask me how many beads I used.

The piece is about color, texture and movement. Even though the beads cover most of the surface, you can still see some color underneath. That represents those strange dreams just under the surface. The mirror is the Void, the place we don't want to see and from which things come forth into our nightmares. The doll's hand is there because I like it and it creeps out some people. hehehe

I have put in some fun things in the background to try to find. A squirrel, a flower, a snake and a zen garden. I want to add more embellishment to the beads around the face, but that is a future project....and you know how that always goes. ;)

October Page - Bead Journal Project

Autumn is my favorite time of year and Halloween is my favorite holiday. Here is my page for this month. I made this pumpkin as a sample for a class years ago and when cleaning up, I found it. It sat on my table for about a week before I even considered it for this month's page. Added the moon and cat for the right atmosphere and lots of black beads, of course. The drop beads in the edging represent the colors of autumn and the falling leaves. The spider is there because this is the time of year that they spin and spin those beautiful webs. (I have this HUGE web on the outside of my front window and enjoyed watching the resident spider spin it up.) While beading this page, I remembered the fun times I had during the many Halloweens of my childhood.
Happy October, everyone!

Cleaning House

Haven't done much art lately. I've been playing catch up on getting the house clean and organized. The garage workshop is almost done. I got the big table up from the basement this week and already I have stuff all over it. I still have to get the frig move over to the other side of the garage and the rest of the flat surfaces moved to where the frig now sits. The spiders are moving in so this is going to be slow and icky. I don't mind the spiders, I just don't want to get bit. I try to capture them and put them somewhere else so they will get those nasty flying bugs before they fly in the house. It rained today and I saw the most beautiful web full of rain drops in the tree out front.

Fall is here, Happy Equinox, but has been here all week. Last weekend it was in the 90's and this weekend, we didn't even get up to 60 degrees. A good weekend for organizing or art or all the other things I didn't do. I did go through some old Somerset Studios to find some ideas for up coming challenges. Got some great ones and will start on them this week.

Oh...cute story tonight...I went out in the garage to let the cat out and found a water dog (mud puppy) hauling tail across the floor. Got him captured and moved out to the tool shed. There is no water source close, so how do these guys get up here? And why? They must like me, this makes three in the past couple of years.

I wish everyone a Fabulous Fall Season and a plentiful Harvest, if you garden. This is my favorite time of the year!

Stones of the Earth

Here is a new necklace that I've been working on the past couple days. It is made with three unakite rectangles, three rhodonite donuts, square crystals and chain. You can't see the smaller two donuts here, they are on the back side close to the clasp. It sits nicely around the neck and drapes down to end in three crystal dangles.

This piece has been made for the upcoming theme show in Gresham, Earth, Wind, Fire & Water. I already have a Water necklace done. That one was from The Sea show earlier this year. Now I have to figure out how to bead Wind. That one is going to be a toughie. Fire is easy and fun to bead. I have all the necessary colors and don't have to buy any new beads. Oh boo hoo, no bead shopping.

Portland Art Collective

My art group is expanding our footprint and adding a blog. This will keep those who are interested in our show up to date on the artists and the work that we plan on selling. The show is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, December 5 and 6 at the Multnomah Art Center in Portland, Oregon.

More info will be forthcoming on the PAC blog in the near future. Stay tuned.

BJP September 08

So...with all the cancer coming into my life through family and friends, my bead journal page reflects how I'm feeling about the Big "C". The buttons represent the normal blood cells flowing in a "clean" stream down the arteries, veins and capillaries. The big C is the cancer cell that is messing everything up.

My journal pages will be beaded on recycled respirator filters. They have been washed and dried, at least twice, and I have 12 that are approximately all the same size. I hadn't planned on how I would display them until I finished this first one. I decided to add a beaded loop and hang them on a dowel. Each one will be signed and dated on the back. This is going to be an interesting way to keep a journal for a year. I'm glad I was able to sign up this year.

BJP Check out some of the other great beaded journal pages from the Bead Journal Project.

More Sad News

This month has been a hard one for me, mentally and emotionally. As mentioned previously, my friend Diane was diagnosed with pertioneal cancer. After a few more tests, trying to figure out the best doctor and hospital, she was finally sent to Oregon Health Sciences University (Pill Hill as we call it here in the Portland area.) Last Monday she went in for surgery. I was there with/for her all day. They opened her up and found the tumor was much bigger than expected. So they closed her up with plans to get her intensive chemo therapy to shrink the tumor. After it is shrunk to a size that is not jeopardizing her internal organs, they will open her up again and remove it with all her female parts, and probably the appendix.

This past week has been hard on all family and friends. I'm glad I'm up here. I can't be there every day, the gas is killing us this month, but I can call and see how things are going. They don't know when she is going to be coming home, some time this next week. She has already had one treatment and will be scheduling more in Eugene. She should know tomorrow when they will be releasing her.

Between Mom and Diane, I'm worn out. I have no real gumption, just want to sit and do a lot of nothing. Some beading, but that's about all.

Thoughts and prayers are welcome for Diane. Thank you.

Sad news

After I got my pieces to the fantasy show, I decided I needed to change things in my life a bit. We have this beautiful oak roll top desk that's been sitting in the corner of the living room for years. I wanted to move it across the room and make it my bead station. That way I can sit in the living room with my husband in the evenings and not feel like a out cast back in my studio. After three days of cleaning and moving furniture and moving it again, the living room is the way I want it of awhile. This happened the week of July 21st.

By Friday I was in a nursing home in Cottage Grove sitting by my mother's bedside. It had been a very quick downhill slide that none of us had expected. She had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the beginning of the month. Treatments had been scheduled and she went to one. While trying to get dressed, she fell against the chest of drawers and broke five ribs. Already weak from radiation and chemo this incident didn't help her health. She was in the hospital on the weekend and from what I was told, she got a slight case of pneumonia on Tuesday. That was cleared up quickly, thankfully. My sister and aunt found a nice nursing home on Thursday and got her transferred over. The trip made her weaker. So I got the call to come quick. I did, even though I had to borrow my MIL's car. I left at 9 and got down there about noon. It's so much fun driving with only about 3 hours sleep.

I spelled my sister and stayed all night with her. I'm glad I was there. We got to talk and laugh and just be together. Most of the time she was drugged up pretty good, but she still was coherent for our time together. The weekend was spent with all the "kids" talking about what to do. She wanted to come home, but I knew she wouldn't. Sunday night, a little after midnight, she passed. Quietly and with no long, lingering illness.

Almost two weeks later, it's weird, I feel like she's still here. I'll be going down again to talk with the bank lady about the estate.

Today I also found out that one of my very best friends has been diagnosed with peritonitis carcinoma. We won't know about treatment until next week. I've known her for almost 40 years. Good thoughts and prayers would be much appreciated.

Dragon's Tooth Necklace

This piece has been in the back of my mind for almost a year. Because of this fantasy show I was able to finally get it done. I picked up the pendant at a bead show last year and some pearls to go with it. Even though this piece has pearls in it, they aren't the ones I bought. I like the way this necklace came out. I just hope someone likes it enough to buy it at the show. Only time will tell.

Draco Necklace Done

Finally! It's done and I'm not doing anymore to it now. Maybe after the show I'll add some fringe things around the snout and "ears". The dark picture is more color accurate than the light one. I photographed the finished necklace outside on an overcast day. Obviously it wasn't overcast enough. I like the little dragons in the necklace. I also bought some larger green dragon beads for this pieces, but they didn't work right. I'll have to make another necklace with them. Oh gee, playing with more beads. Life is rough. *wink, wink*

Debbie's Necklace

These pictures are of the commission I did for my friend and bead buddy, Debbie. She had the fabulous focal bead and asked me to do up a necklace, ala Sand into Pearls, (below) for her. I had a hard time with this particular bead because of the size and weight. I started and tore apart this necklace about three times before I finally finished it today. I hope she likes it. I'll be giving it to her on Thursday.

I was able to take this necklace to my Portland Art Collective Summer Picnic and show it off before giving it to Debbie. Everyone loved it and drooled over her bead.
I'm very pleased how well it was received and happy that Debbie liked it so much. This was a wonderful bead to work with and Debbie picked out the rest of the beads, crystals and pearls from the stock in her store (Bead Happy). It's too bad you can't see how beautifully it sparkles in the sunlight. This necklace turned out fantastically, if I say so myself! (wink, wink)

Draco - The Dragon Necklace

After realizing that it's been awhile since I posted anything, I wanted to show why I've been absent. This is my most recent necklace, still in process. I will be adding more beads around the outside before I cut it out and add the backing and necklace. The necklace will be black and gray or clear crystals. This necklace will be in the Mystical World of Fantasy show by the Gresham Art Advisory Committee in Gresham, Oregon. I will also have two more necklaces and five brooches in this show. Just have to finish them all by the 18th. No pressure.

My Fairy Name

Your fairy is called Pagan Goblinfilter

She is a bringer of riches and wealth.

She lives close to ancient monuments and stone circles.

She is only seen on midsummer's eve.

She wears raven-black feathers. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

Get your free fairy name here!

Draco

Been busy the last few weeks with working on the workshop and getting ready for the "Shows" season. Here is one of the necklaces I've started for a show in July. I'm really loving these eyes! I also have another necklace that I'm working on for the same show. As soon as I get that done I'll post pics. Now...enough of the computer today, off to the bead table.

Blue Water Necklace

I finally finished this necklace and am pleased with the way it came out. I had trouble getting the netting to work around the perimeter of the capiz shell like the "Sea Foam" necklace. I had to start over on this necklace three times before everything worked out right. If you look closely on the close up, you can see the web-like netting on the back through the capiz shell. It looks very cool when held up to the light.

This necklace is now on display, with the other sea themed necklaces, at the Wy'east Artisans Guild Annual Theme Show. The show was moved from the Sandy Public Library to its current location at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum at Government Camp on Mt. Hood, Oregon. The show will be at the Museum until July 12th. On that date, the Guild will hold it's reception for the show and take down will be right after. So, if you see something you like, come to the party and take home a piece of art that same day.

This necklace has netted seed beads "capturing" a capiz shell with numerous freshwater pearls and crystals in the "water" fringe. Larger blue and clear crystals make up the necklace, while a silver-toned starfish shimmers in the fringe.
This necklace is priced at $225.00.

The eyes have it

Yes, those are eyes peeking out at you on my work tray. (see below) I will be incorporating those into barrettes later in the year. It's so much fun to have an extra set of eyes in the back of your head. *evil chuckle*

A Year of Fishy Things?

I'm doing another beaded Capiz shell, as you can see it's blue. This piece is in progress right now. I've been slowly working on it as the weather changes from nice to wet and everything in between. I find it very hard to sit and bead when the weather finally gets nice around here. After the winter we've had, there are tons of branches to clean up and burn. Also, it's just nice to sit in the sun and listen to the birds and watch the squirrels.

My friend, Sherrie, and I went to the Ceramic Showcase at the Oregon Convention Center a week ago. There are six different guilds that show their wares at this very impressive show. Throughtout the booths and artists there seemed to be a theme this year, fish, horses and cats. Some very strange things and LOTS of beautiful things. http://www.ceramicshowcase.com You can see some of the fabulous ceramics from the Oregon Potters Association.

If I had more money than what I allowed myself, I would have brought home a pond full of fishy pottery, glass, metal, weavings, wood and beads. I wish I could afford to buy one item from each and every artist at this show. There is so much talent in one place this time of year. It's a great place for inspiration if your Muse is on vacation.

I guess it's a good thing that I'm on this fishy line of art this year. It feels right.

The Draining of Roslyn Lake

These are pictures of our local small lake, run by PGE (Portland General Electric), the utility company that owns the lake. After tearing down the 80 year old dam on the Sandy river, which fed this lake, last year. They are now decommmissioning the lake. They started draining it last Friday and hope to have it completed by the end of this week. It's a very shallow lake, 10' - 20' deep in places. There has been much speculation about how much lead is in the mud at the bottom. I remember bringing my son out to play in the water while his father tried his hand at catching the fish. The water playing was more rewarding than the empty creel.

There were a lot of memories made in this small recreational area. Many, many families will miss Roslyn Lake.

Felted Embellished Brooch

I took this class from Gail Crosman Moore (see links), a couple of weeks ago, at Bead Expo. She is a great teacher and fantastic artist. These little felted bits are very fun to make and embellish. Gail had quite a few of her felted pieces with her for Bead Expo and it was a pleasure to see them up close and personal. She will be coming back to Portland this fall for Art and Soul and teaching some very cool classes. I can't wait!

Life

Been away doing the things of life. Haven't worked on much art lately, except a Bouquet Swap for my PAC group. This is an example of the flowers for the swap. All made them out of recycled cans, copper sheet, beads and floral wire. This was a fun swap!

Sea Foam Necklace

These are pictures of my most recent necklace. I finished up this afternoon and took the pics between rain/snow showers. It came out exactly as I pictured it in my mind. Don't ya love it when that happens? I'm very pleased with this piece. It shimmers in the light and is quite captivating. I think I'll do a couple more of these kind of necklaces in different colorways. But...I have my commission to do first.

The center piece is a capiz shell, captured in netting stitch with clear seed and faceted beads. Nestled amid the fringes are freshwater pearls, crystals, opalized glass beads and two silver-toned starfish. The necklace is made of Druk beads and 8mm crystals. Price for this necklace is $225.00

Free Rice, Play a game and feed the hungry

I saw this link, to a very cool site, at Lisa Vollrath's newsletter today. www.lisavollrath.com You can increase your vocabulary and feed the hungry while playing a fun game.

www.freerice.com
FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, www.poverty.com

FreeRice has two goals:

Provide English vocabulary to everyone for free.
Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

This is made possible by the sponsors who advertise on this site.

Whether you are CEO of a large corporation or a street child in a poor country, improving your vocabulary can improve your life. It is a great investment in yourself.

Perhaps even greater is the investment your donated rice makes in hungry human beings, enabling them to function and be productive. Somewhere in the world, a person is eating rice that you helped provide. Thank you.

Sand into Pearls II

Here's the latest necklace I've done in "The Sea" theme. I'll be starting another one tomorrow. I'm having a fantastic time with this theme. I keep getting all these really cool ideas while working on a current project. I recently bought some capiz shells and will be working those into some necklaces in different color ways. Because they are somewhat transparent, I might rubber stamp an image onto the back of the shell for a different effect. Which means I need to go shopping for new "sea" stamps!

I got a commission from wearing the first Sand into Pearls necklace into my local bead store, (Bead Happy)! Very jazzed about that. It was the owner (Debbie) who wants me to make her a new necklace and I get to play with her hand picked beads for her piece. I love that! Can't wait to get my hands on her stash, this will be fun!

This necklace contains glass pearls, bronze-colored pearls, amber, mother of pearl, coral and sead beads. It is priced at $125.00.

Sand into Pearls

This is one of my necklaces for my guild's theme show in March. The Sea is the theme this year. I'm not much of a beach and sea person, but this year the theme has me bubbling with ideas. I have at least another 4 ideas for necklaces and one abstract mixed media piece. As I finish them, I'll get them up here.

I even have an idea for a story to back up one of my necklaces. It's called "Curse of the Dragons Teeth". Based on a beautiful bead I bought last year, it has a King, a Sorcerer, Four Daughters and a Glass Dragon. I'm still working through some of the details, but this is really a cool story. I'm also thinking I may need to add a Pirate and I NEED to go get that pirate bead I saw at the bead store!

This necklace has some very lovely glass pearl beads in the necklace as a base for the sand colored coral fringe. Pearls, faceted pearls, glass pearls, amber and bits of coral hide in the seed bead fringe that surrounds a handcarved bone seahorse. This piece is priced at $175.00.

New Necklace

Here is a new necklace I've just completed. It has five "walls" covered with "vines and grapes". I had made up the triangles some years ago and didn't have an idea for them at the time. But...the ideas have been coming lately and they reminded me of walls. I had fun making this necklace and playing with my beads again.

This piece is made of five brickstitched triangles made with square bronze beads. The vines are a fringe stitch called coral fringe with Czech pressed glass leaves interspersed among the vines. The "grapes" are Wonder beads that have a fantastic inner light when in the sun. The necklace is made of Wonder beads and crystals with a button and loop closure in the back. This necklace is priced at $195.00.

And now for something completely different.

I'm very proud of my cat. She has caught two mice within the last three nights. She is also very proud of herself.

It's still snowing!

With the exception of about 2 days since Solstice, we have had snow/ice or combo of both on the ground. So far, we've measured 16" of snow at the deepest. (Not counting drifts.) For us, this is deep. I've been here for 17 years and HB for 29, and this kind of weather has only happened twice in all that time.

The Oregon mountain ranges have been especially hard hit with well over average snowfall. Great if you're a skier or boarder, but not so great if you try to drive there. Tractions tires AND chains are a necessity. Glad I'm not a trucker going over the passes. AND...more is coming. We're about 1,500' and I hope the freezing level will rise to at least 2,000', I have errands to run.

I've been hibernating since Christmas, but just this week my Muse came back from vacation with any number of ideas for projects. Just finished a necklace tonight and will start a new one tomorrow for my Guild's theme show. It is "The Sea" this year. Everything above, on, below or around the sea. That leaves a ton of ideas to work with. I'm pulling out the pearls for a couple necklaces and have an idea for an abstract collage of a beach sunset. I'm having fun with this theme, even tho' I'm a mountain girl at heart.

Solstice and Christmas Landscapes

A New Year of Art

It certainly has been awhile since I posted. The past two months have zipped by much too quickly. The art/craft shows I participated in went well. I didn't sell as many ornaments as I had hoped, but my earrings went like gang busters. Next year I think I'll make calendars, everyone needs those.

The holidays were quiet and white. I had my very first white Christmas ever. Granted, it didn't snow on Christmas, only Christmas Eve, but it did hang around for for the big day. AND....we've had snow on the ground in some kind since then. I'm getting really tired of it and it looks like there may be more coming. Since I've lived here (17 years) we've never had this many days of snow. I have some great pictures of Solstice and Christmas snowy landscapes. I'll put those up on the next post.

I'm oh-so-slowly getting the house organized for art and dustlessness. (I HATE, detest, cannot stand doing any kind of housework, so this cleaning thing is hard.) I'm finding it difficult to get movtivated when all I want to do is hibernate. And I don't seem to be in an arty mood either. It might be the winter doldrums. I'll just have to wait for them to pass, I guess. There are 6 books looking me in the face pleading to be read, perhaps I should just ignore the house and get between the pages. A yummy cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book(s) will fit the bill this season.

Books to read:
Leonard Shlain's -
Art & Physics
The Alphabet Versus The Goddess
Sex, Time and Power

Michael Scott's -
The Alchemyst

Lorna Landvik's -
Patty Jane's House of Curl

Bill O'Reilly's -
Culture Warrior