Thursday, August 16, 2012

August Playtime







by Staci L. Smith

I have a little lull between shows, NO shows in August.  Really, I should be prepping for the next, which is mid-september, or taking special orders.  Instead, I am
just playing.  It's when I am at my happiest.

I have taken time to go to a local Music Festival that my husband and I have been attending together for about 15 years or more.  We even had the chance to take the kids.  You can read a little bit about it here.

I have also made time to play with bead making.  I don't know about you, but I have a sketch book that is full of ideas and notes that I never seem to have to time to bring to life (ok, its not a sketch book, its more like a pile of paper scraps in a bin).  Well, I made time to try one of them.

I had this vison to make my bronze and copper clay beads thicker, so instead of a flat focal or charm, they could be drilled through the middle, more like a bead.  However, I didn't want them to be too heavy, and wasn't up for the hollow bead challenge.  So I thought I'd try to fill the middle with polymer.  It looked great in my head, and I have wanted to do it for some time now. 

I was then inspired while reading a childrens book to my kids, an old irish tale, and it had old celtic patterns and drawings in it.  So I decided to make my own polymer stamps inspired by the drawings, and on the back of the bead, put irish blessings or inspirational words.
Here are a few of the "carvings" or stamps I made.


Some are kinda celtic, like the bunny, some are just doodles inspired by the celtic designs, and I made a couple versions of lotus flowers as well.

Well, the whole thing went very well, and here is my first round of beads.






 

And here is the first necklace I made using one.  I was just so happy at how they turned out, front and back, thickness, weight, everything.  I really wanted to make the bronze beads chunkier so they would lay nice next to larger round beads.  The necklace includes one of my loop T loops and a raku bead from Suburban Girl Studio, along with pearls and a garnet donut.



Right now I am finishing up some beads to take with me to Bead Fest. I am participating in an art bead swap, and plan to have some available for trade too.  I had fun playing with these as well.  I made some really cute poppies.........



Tried my hand at headpins and even made myself a name tag pin to wear on my purse for Bead Fest with my logo on it (its not done yet, almost)

So thats it.  I am finishing up summer with the kids and playing. 

What's on your end of August calendar?  Is there time for play?

13 comments:

Alice said...

How fun it would be to just sit down and play. My budget is so small that I really don't get to play often.

I love seeing all the things you created. Those poppies are darling!!!!!!

Anvil Artifacts said...

Great idea on the polymer, bronze clay beads. Love those poppies!

Julie Holmes said...

Stunning work Staci!

Erika said...

Love the new celtic beads, Staci! Great invention :)

mairedodd said...

really fun stuff and it's nice to see that you got some time to play... it is always so important and yet we have so much guilt allowing ourselves to do it...

Artisan Beads Plus said...

Those are so cool, Staci! You are always amazing me with your never ending creativity!
MaryAnn

Barb Fernald said...

Poppies!!! So cool!

Mystic Indigo said...

lovely!! and keep on playing!

Unknown said...

the collection is simply mind-blowing...please come up with some more such beautiful designs...

Unknown said...

Wow…. What a unique collection...i loved them..if you have some charms jewelry in your collection then please share them as well...

Kelli said...

Wow!!!!! You just amaze me!!!!!! Gorgeous "play" things!!!!

Linda said...

Love the bunny and those poppies are fantastic! Hope you are having a blast at Bead Fest!

Shai Williams said...

I find that I play the best when I am involved in challenges. When I have a direction to go my mind relaxes and it almost zen.

And I love those poppies and the nametag.

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