Holiday Creativity Overload!

So, we're heading into the holiday season and I am already running into creativity overload.  I just finished the portrait of those cute little Pekingese, Lucky and Buddy--I have to say, I miss seeing their big brown eyes staring at me from the easel.  But, like children, I do have to eventually let them go--and my client was thrilled to finally get the painting in his possession.  And, lucky me, he has commissioned another portrait! Yay!  I will be posting progress reports on that as soon as I can--hopefully this weekend.

In addition to working on the portrait, I was busy making jewelry for the Trims & Whims show held this past weekend in Shelbyville, KY.  It was my first "jewelry only" event--although I did bring promotional material for my portraits.   I was very pleased with the event, and made the biggest sales of my short career as a jeweler, and even got another pet portrait commission out of it!  All in all, it was a very successful weekend for me.  I'm beginning to feel ever more confident about creating jewelry, and look forward to experimenting with different metals and wire techniques over the winter.  The necklace on the left is completely handcrafted, including the links.  It is made with 18 gauge copper wire.  The necklace on the right is also copper, and I made most of the links, with the exception of the small chain links.  The earrings are copper and brown jasper. 

And, of course, I had to make some Christmas earrings.  The first pair are sterling over copper wire with sterling silver ear hooks and Swarovski red beads. 

 Next, a pair of free form sterling over copper Christmas tree earrings, also with sterling silver ear hooks and red and green beads. 

Finally, a pair of copper wire Christmas tree earrings, also with Swarovski red beads.  If you'd like to see more of my jewelry creations, visit my Facebook page:  Wit's End Studio.  

And then, the other night I decided to play around with different links made from copper wire, and the end result was the bracelet below.  Again, all the pieces except the beads were handcrafted.  I am really having fun, and hope to continue making beautiful jewelry and portraits! 

And now, it's back to the studio.  I have a lot of work to do before the end of the year.  Check back when you can to see what's new at Wit's End Studio!

I'm wearing cupcakes!

The other night I was playing with my new stash of polymer clay, and ended up making these cute little cupcake earrings. Had to remind the hubby that, no, they are not little candies and eating them could be detrimental to his health (in more way than one....but I digress...)  For the first time out, I don't think they're too bad, but the important thing is:  it was fun! Now I've got all sorts of ideas for other types of jewelry--so check back soon.

One of my co-workers commissioned me the other day to make a bracelet for her niece's birthday. The niece's birthstone is the ruby, but since genuine rubies are expensive, we opted for red wooden and glass beads, and pewter flowers.  Because I was enjoying myself so much (and being the generous person I am), I made a pair of earrings to match.

While I was making the cupcakes, I also made some more beads--swirls matching the frosting on the cupcakes, in round shapes.  I tried to make milleflora beads, but they didn't quite come out the way I wanted. I went ahead and finished them, and someday maybe I'll use them in something....don't Japanese artists deliberately leave imperfections in their work because nothing in this world is perfect?  Works for me!

I had to cancel my attendance at the art show in Somerset, Kentucky this weekend. I have a pet portrait commission that I need to work on, and the deadline is looming.  And did I mention I have yardwork to do as well?  While I've been playing, the weeds and grass (which is now mostly weeds) have been growing like...well....weeds!  Time to put on my "rocket man" pack and spray! Normally I don't like to use chemicals, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm losing the weed war, and I hate to lose--and besides, watching me wander around the yard with a big ol' backpack full of poisonous liquid strapped on, I'm sure, is quite entertaining to the neighbors.  Or maybe just plain scary. 

Anyway, I'll be posting pics of my pet portrait in progress in a day or so.  Stay tuned!

Hey, Mom--can I have an Easy Bake Oven?

I always wanted one of those Easy Bake ovens....ah well. Now I get to play with the grown-up oven!  Yep, tonight I branched out and experimented with making my own polymer clay beads.  I wasn't content to make simple one-color beads--nope, I jumped right in and swirled two colors together (well, non-colors, actually--black and white), and made bicones and ovals, not just plain ol' round ones!  And here are the results! Not bad for the first time out.  I didn't coat these--just baked 'em and sanded them. (Caution! You might want to warn hungry hubbies that the cute little round thingies on the baking sheet are NOT special candies made just for him!)  They're very lightweight, and easy to make.  I have all sorts of ideas, and I feel like I'm really creating jewelry now! Still working on technique, but definitely making progress.

Good to finally get some rain here, which gave me an excuse to stay inside and play.  I'll be starting on the pet portrait commission this weekend, and will post pics of the work in progress, so come back soon!

It's hot--and these earrings are hotter!

These were fun to make--little swirls of copper hung from copper earring wires--like a little mobile.  Very light--you won't even know you're wearing them!

So did that sound like an advertisement?  I'm not a very good sales person--my approach is more like "would you like to buy some earrings?  Oh. Didn't think so..." and that's it.  I've never been very good at promoting myself--as an artist or a writer.  I'm still surprised when someone actually says they like what I've done, and even more surprised when they buy something.  I'm working on a better approach, but I keep thinking about how I feel when I walk into a store and a salesperson descends on me--and when I say I'm just looking, they shadow me, afraid I'll escape.  I prefer to take my time and look--and if I want information or to buy, I'll find the salesperson. And that's how I feel about selling my art. No pressure, just enjoy!

Heading back to the easel tomorrow--I'm still trying to finish up some mini-paintings for the God's House fundraiser on Saturday.  Wish me luck--40% of any sales goes to God's House USA.

Lots of Yardwork...and a Pair of Earrings

I spent the morning working in the yard--cleaning the pool (something that never seems to end till after Labor Day), mowing, and other various chores.  Had a brief argument with the pool vacuum head and pole--the head refused to stay attached, and kept disappearing into the deep end of the pool. Found another pole in the barn, and that seemed to work. For now.  After a couple of hours doing battle with the pool, I came inside, and created another pair of earrings.  I have a bunch of mismatched beads and it seemed a shame not to use them. So I grabbed these and some copper wire and voila! 

I will be one of the exhibitors at a fundraiser August 6 at King Pin Lanes in Louisville (the Taylorsville Rd. location), 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.,  for God's House USA--a non-profit organization that serves as a sort of "Noah's Ark" for women/children in abusive relationships.  I will be bringing some of my jewelry and mini-paintings, notecards and maybe a print or two.  A percentage of any sales goes towards this worthy cause, so if you're free next Saturday night, come on by and say hello--you might find something nice to take home, too!

I'm still working on setting up my Etsy shop.  Look for the "grand opening" announcement soon. 

TGIF--and a Celtic Knot Pendant plus Earrings

So I'm up late, not really enough energy to go down to the studio to paint, but not sleepy enough for bed--so I decided to finish a necklace and earrings I started working on the other night. This one is made with brown jasper stones, antiqued pewter lace beads, and an antiqued pewter Celtic knot pendant.  I did a little experimenting--the figure eight links (near the top of the necklace) are made of aluminum wire--which is very flexible, even though I used 18 gauge wire.  It might actually be a little too soft--but it was fun playing around with it. 

Yesterday I received my John C. Campbell Folk School catalog, and oh how I wish I could attend one or more of their workshops. So much to choose from! I haven't given up hope--I'll be saving my pennies and maybe one day, I'll get to go!

Meanwhile, I've signed up to take an equine photography workshop in August, which I'm very excited about.  I love painting horses, and photography is my second love....so what could be better?  I'll get to photograph some magnificent horses, and eventually paint them too!

On the painting front, I just received a commission to do another pet portrait--this one of two ultra cute Pekingese.  Can't wait to get started, and I'll post WIP photos when I do.

Looks like we might get some rain tonight. It would be great to have a break from this oppressive heat. I was about to do a rain dance!

Always after me Lucky Charms....

Hahaha...I used to love that commercial for Lucky Charms cereal. So tonight, I was too hot (after spending an hour or so cleaning the pool) to do much, but in keeping with my Celtic themed jewelry, I made these:  I call them my "Lucky Charm Earrings."  Not sure how lucky they'll be, but I like them and had fun making them.  These are green glass beads wrapped in copper wire. The ear hooks, 4-leaf clover and jump rings are also copper. 

I really like working with copper--it has a nice warm look to it.  I'll be adding a bracelet and necklace soon.

Meanwhile, check out my interview on the EBSQ blog!  EBSQ is a really nice website for self-represented artists.  They also have wonderful contests and I love their "artist of the week" feature.  Lots of wonderful art to look at, too.

Playing with Copper

I should have gone to bed early, but I was too excited about playing with the new wire I bought yesterday.  So here's what I created tonight:  a pair of 18 gauge copper wire flower earrings.  I made the earrings, the jump rings and the earring wire.  I was a little worried about making the jump rings--it's hard to make perfect circles, even using a mandrel--but I think I did pretty well.  I made two pairs of these, just because I liked them so much! I can't wait to try wrapping pendants, or maybe doing a focal piece out of copper.  Will post more pics when I do!

Thunder, Lightning...and a Green Glass Necklace

The heat is excruciating, and now it's raining, so what better way to spend an evening than creating?  Whether it's a painting, a necklace, or a poem--each of us has something we like to do to relax--and for me, tonight, anyway, it was making more jewelry. I've noticed over the years that I tend to go in spurts--for awhile I might concentrate on writing. Then I'll move on to painting, or gardening, or reading.  It's impossible to do everything, although I'm sure there are people out there who manage to do just that. But me?  I tend to dabble, putting all my energy into one form of creativity and then moving on to another.  It used to bother me--trying to figure out how to find time to do all the things I love doing--painting, writing, gardening, photography--now making jewelry. I asked a fellow artist awhile back, who is a fantastic writer as well as a visual artist, how she handles the urges to paint one day, write the next--did she feel like she was neglecting one over the other?  She told me to "just go with the flow."  Whatever creative muse is pushing me at the moment, that's the one to follow, and don't worry about the others.  They'll get attention when it's time.  And so that's what I do now. If I feel like writing, I write. If the urge to paint is overwhelming, I paint. But I no longer feel guilty. Creative people just need to create, and I no longer feel I have to pick one and stick to it.  Maybe I'm not as good at one as I am the other, but does that really matter?  I think the point is to create, and be happy doing it.

So...tonight the urge to play with beads was greater, and since it was raining and of course I couldn't work outside--ta da!  The result? A new necklace and earrings.  This is from a pattern in one of the beading magazines I bought awhile back. I've made two versions:  one with turquoise teardrop stones and the other with green glass teardrops.  Easy to do.  I'm planning to make matching bracelets later.  Actually, I made a turquoise set several months ago, which my lovely daughter managed to confiscate.  One of the perks of being family, I guess...

I received an order from Fire Mountain Gems today, and can't wait to get started with the new beads and wire.  Lots of ideas, which I hope I can follow through on.  I'm still learning wire wrapping.

 I also bought some copper and galvanized steel wire--I love the warmth of the copper and I just wanted to experiment with the steel wire.  Should be interesting!

So here are the two sets of jewelry I made--same pattern, different stones.  Unfortunately, the photograph of the green bead necklace isn't as sharp as it needs to be. I need to work on better lighting.

Still working on mini-paintings, and several larger pieces to finish.  Peace!

A Pair of Earrings and an Owl





Copper-colored wire flower
earrings

It's too hot to work outside today (and besides that, I don't feel like it), so I decided to get creative.  I'm getting some small pieces ready for a couple of shows coming up in August--will post more specific info when I have it.  Here are the earrings I made today.  I am still working on consistency with the wire wrapping and twisting, and I'm also teaching myself how to tie Celtic knots--which I plan to incorporate into my jewelry soon.  I'm excited about this new venture, and full of ideas. Look for the opening of my Etsy store soon!

Owl
2 x 3 acrylics

Here is the mini-painting I am working on--it's nearly finished.  I have several larger pieces in various stages of completion. I'm hoping to finish those soon.  Just not enough time for all these creative endeavors!  

I also need to get some sample pet portraits finished--I'll be doing a fundraiser  in September for Lifebridge for Animals and would like to have some new work to display.  Soooo.....back to the easel!